title: Salvage surgery for recurrent carcinoma of the cervical esophagus postesophagectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Management of cervical esophageal tumor postesophagectomy is mainly palliative because of inadequate exposure of tumor in the cervicothoracic region. In this study, we propose a means of cure for these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2003 and June 2013, 6 patients underwent curative pharyngolaryngectomy and completion cervical esophagectomy via manubrial resection. Operative outcomes were analyzed and compared with a historical cohort who received palliative therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One patient required prolonged hospital stay for pneumonia, resulting in a median hospital stay of 30 days (range, 21-55 days). All patients resumed oral feeding at a mean of 15.2 days (range, 14-19 days). Tracheostoma stenosis was noted in 2 patients. One patient developed nodal recurrence, another with distant metastasis, resulting in a median disease-free survival of 13 months (range, 4-20 months). Median overall survival was significantly longer than the cohort group (19.0 vs 3.0 months; p = .013).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salvage surgery in patients with carcinoma of the cervical esophagus postesophagectomy is feasible with significantly prolonged survival.
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Velda L Y
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Jimmy Y W
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: William I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007825:Laryngectomy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery*; D010611:Pharyngectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: cervical esophagus; postesophagectomy; recurrence; salvage