• Tamar B Nobel, Arianna Barbetta, Meier Hsu, Kay See Tan, Tiffany Pinchinat, Francisco Schlottmann, Manjit S Bains, Geoffrey Y Ku, Abraham J Wu, Marco G Patti, David R Jones, and Daniela Molena.
• Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
• J. Gastrointest. Surg. 2019 Jan 1; 23 (1): 11-22.

ObjectiveEsophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC-R) is a rarely encountered sequela of chest radiation. Treatment is limited by toxicity with reirradiation and complex surgical dissection in a previously radiated field. The clinical presentation, prognosis, and treatment selection of ESCC-R remain undefined.MethodsA retrospective review of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma at a single institution between 2000 and 2017 was performed to identify patients with previous radiation therapy (≥ 5 years delay). Clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of ESCC-R (n = 69) patients were compared to patients with primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (n = 827). Overall survival (OS) and cumulative incidence of recurrence (CIR) were compared using log-rank and Gray's tests, respectively.ResultsMedian time from radiation to ESCC-R was 18.2 years. The majority of ESCC-R patients were female and presented with earlier disease and decreased behavioral risk factors. ESCC-R treated with surgery alone had worse OS than ESCC (5-year 15 vs 33%; p = 0.045). Patients with ESCC-R who received neoadjuvant treatment had higher risk of postoperative in-house mortality (16.7 vs 4.2%; p = 0.032). Patients with ESCC-R treated with surgery alone and definitive chemoradiation had higher recurrence risk than those with neoadjuvant + surgery (5-year recurrence 55 and 45 vs 15%; p = 0.101).ConclusionNeoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation should be used whenever possible for ESCC-R as it is associated with lower risk of recurrence. The improved survival benefits of aggressive treatment must be weighed against the higher associated postoperative risks.

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