Long-term outcomes following successful endoscopic treatment of T1 esophageal adenocarcinoma: a multicenter cohort study

Abstract

Endoscopic eradication therapy (EET) is guideline endorsed for management of early-stage (T1) esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Patients with baseline high grade dysplasia (HGD) and EAC are at highest risk of recurrence following successful EET, but limited data exist on long-term (> 5 year) recurrence outcomes. We aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of long-term recurrence in a multicenter cohort of T1EAC patients treated with EET. Patients with T1 EAC achieving successful endoscopic cancer eradication with a minimum of 5-years clinical follow-up were included. The primary outcome was neoplastic recurrence, defined as dysplasia or EAC, and was characterized as early (<2 years), intermediate (2-5 years), or late (>5 years). Predictors of recurrence were assessed by time to event analysis. 84 T1 EAC patients (75 T1a, 9 T1b) with a median 9.1 years (range 5.1-18.3 years) of follow-up were included. The overall incidence of neoplastic recurrence was 2.0/100 patient years of follow up. 7 recurrences (3 dysplasia, 4 EAC) occurred after 5 years of EAC remission. 88% of recurrences were treated successfully endoscopically. EAC recurrence-related mortality occurred in 3 patients at a median of 5.2 years from EAC remission. Complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM) was independently associated with reduced recurrence (HR 0.13). Following successful EET of T1 EAC, neoplastic recurrence occurred after 5 years in 8.3% of cases. Careful long-term surveillance should be continued in this patient population. CE-IM should be the therapeutic endpoint for EET.