Long-term outcomes of robotic esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Propensity score matched comparison with open esophagectomy
Kwon Joong Na, Chang Hyun Kang, Samina Park, In Kyu Park, Young Tae Kim
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Purpose : Robotic esophagectomy(RE) is widely accepted as a surgical treatment option for esophageal cancer, and showed superior early clinical outcome compared to open(OE). The aim of this study is to compare early postoperative and long-term oncologic outcomes between RE and OE in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).
Methods : Among the patients who underwent esophagectomy for ESCC from 2008 to 2017, a total of 402 patients (n=178 in RE and n=224 in OE) were included in the study. After propensity-score matching, 136 patients in each group were selected.
Results : There was no difference in gender, age, performance status, comorbidity scores, location of tumor, clinical stages, and pathologic stages between the two groups. Complete resection was equally achieved in both groups (96.3% in RE vs. 97.0% in OE; p=0.74). However, numbers of dissected lymph nodes in 1L, right recurrent laryngeal area, and paraesophageal area were significantly higher in RE group (p<0.05). The 5-year overall survival was better in RE (75.1% in RE vs. 57.9% in OE; p=0.02), while freedom from recurrence were comparable between two groups (68.8% in RE vs. 54.7% in OE; p=0.15). Notably, RE could achieve a significantly higher rate of 5-year freedom from regional nodal recurrence than OE (81.4% in RE vs. 62.7% in OE, p=0.03).
Conclusion : Our results showed that RE showed better long-term overall survival and lower regional nodal recurrence rates with higher yield of lymph node dissection in several stations than OE. This finding suggests the superior capability of RE for performing meticulous and complete lymphadenectomy in ESCC.

책임저자: Chang Hyun Kang
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
발표자: Kwon Joong Na, E-mail : kjna85@gmail.com