705 SIGNIFICANCE OF CLEAR CIRCUMFERENTIAL RESECTION MARGIN IN ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

Abstract

Abstract Circumferential resection margins (CRM) of an esophagectomy specimen for oesophageal cancer is a key prognostic factor of overall survival (OS). This retrospective study aims to compare OS of post-esophagectomy patients with CRM of >1 mm (R0) and < 1 mm (R1) with further subgroup analysis of locally advanced T3R0 vs T3R1 resection. Methods A total of 110 esophagectomies conducted between 2010 and 2020 were analysed. We recorded R stage based on pathological CRM >1 mm (R0) or < 1 mm (R1). OS was calculated from the day of surgery to day of death or otherwise censored. All patients underwent multimodal therapy including chemotherapy and similar pre-surgical and post-surgical management. 58 of these patients with pT3 stage esophageal cancer (EC) were selected and compared. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS. Results Of 110 patients, 78 (71.5%) patients had a R0 resection. Mean OS in R0 resections was 73 months (6 years) compared to 25.2 months (2 years) in R1 resection (p = 0.001). 58 of the 110 patients were pathological stage T3(pT3) despite downstaging with chemotherapy showing the burden of advanced disease. In patients with stage pT3 (n = 58), 32 patients were R0 resections, and 26 patients had R1 resections. Mean OS in T3R0 resections was 51.5 months compared to 28.5 months in T3R1 resection. OS comparison is significant (p = 0.011). Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of clear CRM in all patients and especially in locally advanced pT3/T4a esophageal cancer in achieving long term survival. Techniques used to ensure a clear CRM such multimodality therapy combined with surgical radical resection concepts such as mesoesophagectomy should be employed.