An International Multicenter Study Exploring Whether Surveillance After Esophageal Cancer Surgery Impacts Oncological and Quality of Life Outcomes (ENSURE)

Objective: To determine the impact of surveillance on recurrence pattern, treatment, survival and health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) following curative-intent resection for esophageal cancer.

Summary background data: Although therapies for recurrent esophageal cancer may impact survival and HRQL, surveillance protocols after primary curative treatment are varied and inconsistent, reflecting a lack of evidence.

Methods: European iNvestigation of SUrveillance after Resection for Esophageal cancer was an international multicenter study of consecutive patients undergoing surgery for esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancers (2009-2015) across 20 centers (NCT03461341). Intensive surveillance (IS) was defined as annual computed tomography for 3 years postoperatively. The primary outcome measure was overall survival (OS), secondary outcomes included treatment, disease-specific survival, recurrence pattern, and HRQL. Multivariable linear, logistic, and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed.

Results: Four thousand six hundred eighty-two patients were studied (72.6% adenocarcinoma, 69.1% neoadjuvant therapy, 45.5% IS). At median followup 60 months, 47.5% developed recurrence, oligometastatic in 39%. IS was associated with reduced symptomatic recurrence (OR 0.17 [0.12-0.25]) and increased tumor-directed therapy (OR 2.09 [1.58-2.77]). After adjusting for confounders, no OS benefit was observed among all patients (HR 1.01 [0.89-1.13]), but OS was improved following IS for those who underwent surgery alone (HR 0.60 [0.47-0.78]) and those with lower pathological (y)pT stages (Tis-2, HR 0.72 [0.58-0.89]). IS was associated with greater anxiety ( P =0.016), but similar overall HRQL.

Conclusions: IS was associated with improved oncologic outcome in select cohorts, specifically patients with early-stage disease at presentation or favorable pathological stage post neoadjuvant therapy. This may inform guideline development, and enhance shared decision-making, at a time when therapeutic options for recurrence are expanding.