Importance of Surveillance and Success of Salvage Strategies After Definitive Chemoradiation in Patients With Esophageal Cancer

This retrospective study evaluated recurrence patterns and management of recurrence after bimodality (chemoradiotherapy) for esophageal cancer in 276 pts.  Local relapse alone developed in 23%, and 36% of those patients had salvage esophagectomy.  Median survival for those undergoing salvage esophagectomy was 59 mos, whereas pts who were not offered salvage esophagectomy had a median survival of 9.5 mos.  Over 90% of isolated relapses occured during the first 2 years.