title: Esophagectomy as a Treatment Consideration for Early-Stage Esophageal Cancer and High-Grade Dysplasia.
abstract: In recent years, a number of endoluminal procedures such as endoscopic resection and thermal ablation have emerged as less invasive treatment options for early esophageal cancer. These therapies have demonstrated excellent oncologic outcomes for dysplasia as well as intramucosal cancers. However, few studies have directly compared long-term outcomes of endoscopic therapy versus traditional esophagectomy. Current esophagectomy techniques now deliver consistently good outcomes in the hands of experienced surgeons at high volume centers, and this option should be considered an important treatment consideration for early esophageal cancer. Under current recommendations, esophagectomy should be considered for tumors invading the submucosa, tumors with high-risk pathologic features, bulky tumors, multinodular tumors, tumors within a long segment of Barrett's esophagus, and tumors adjacent to a hiatal hernia. Likewise, individual patient factors and comorbidities must also be considered when determining the best treatment for a patient with early esophageal cancer. The risk of missing metastatic disease or recurrence that is associated with endoscopic treatment must be weighed against the surgical risks of esophagectomy. With these considerations in mind, the aim of this article is to review the current guidelines and literature that explore the role of esophagectomy for early esophageal malignancy in the era of endoscopic therapies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal and General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University , Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McLaren
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal and General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University , Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dolan
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
keywords: endoscopic resection; esophageal cancer; esophagectomy; high grade dysplasia; intramucosal cancer; oesophageal cancer