SALVAGE ESOPHAGECTOMY AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL CURATIVE CHEMORADIOTHERAPY FOR SQUAMOUS-CELL CANCER OF THE ESOPHAGUS

Surgery was performed on 6 patients after unsuccessful chemoradiothera py for squamous cell cancer of the esophagus, The operation was very d ifficult due to post-irradiation sequelae in 5. The postoperative peri od was uneventful in 4 patients. Median intensive care unit stay and h ospitalization were 5 and 47 days, respectively, Survival after surger y reached 44 months in 1 patient (59 months after diagnosis). Outcome was better in patients who had surgery after recurrence rather than af ter nonresponse to chemoradiotherapy. Salvage esophagectomy can be ben eficial, in selected patients, after unsuccessful chemoradiotherapy fo r cancer of the esophagus by providing longer survival and better qual ity of life despite operative and postoperative morbidity.