ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2020
Anastomotic Leak Does Not Impact on Long-Term Outcomes in Esophageal Cancer Patients.
Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 36 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of Postoperative Complications on Overall Survival Following Esophagectomy: A Meta-Analysis Using the Restricted Mean Survival Time Analysis.Thoracic cancer · 2025Pooled it
- Effect of Anastomotic Leak on Long-Term Survival After Esophagectomy: Multivariate Meta-analysis and Restricted Mean Survival Times Examination.Annals of surgical oncology · 2023Pooled it
- Overall Survival Following Anastomotic Leakage After Surgery for Carcinoma of the Esophagus and Gastroesophageal Junction: A Systematic Review.In vivo (Athens, Greece)Pooled it
- Complications and survival after Ivor Lewis esophagectomy.BMC cancer · 2026Article
- Predictive modelling of duodenal stump leakage after gastric cancer and long-term oncological outcomes.Translational cancer research · 2026Article
- Impact of Anastomotic Leaks on Long-Term Survival in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Following McKeown Esophagectomy: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.Annals of surgical oncology · 2025Article
- Systemic Inflammatory Response and the Noble and Underwood (NUn) Score as Early Predictors of Anastomotic Leakage after Esophageal Reconstructive Surgery.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- A narrative review of anastomotic leak in the Ivor Lewis esophagectomy: expected, accepted, but preventable.Translational cancer research · 2023Review
- Survival impact of surgical site infection in esophageal cancer surgery: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.Annals of gastroenterological surgery · 2023Article
- Article
- Impact of Smoking Status on Perioperative Morbidity, Mortality, and Long-Term Survival Following Transthoracic Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer.Annals of surgical oncology · 2021Article
- Indocyanine Green (ICG) fluorescence angiography of gastric conduit after transhiatal thoracic esophagectomy with proximal gastrectomy for esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma: A case report and initial experience at a tertiary government hospital in the Philippines.International journal of surgery case reports · 2021Article
- ASO Author Reflections: Anastomotic Leaks After Esophagectomy-No Impact on Long-Term Survival.Annals of surgical oncology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEsophagectomy is a technically demanding procedure associated with high levels of morbidity. Anastomotic leak (AL) is a common complication with potentially major ramifications for patients. It has also been associated with poorer long-term overall survival (OS) and disease recurrence.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to determine whether AL contributes to poor OS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) for patients with esophageal cancer.
methodsConsecutive patients undergoing a two-stage, two-field transthoracic esophagectomy from a single high-volume unit between 1997 and 2016 were evaluated. Clinicopathologic characteristics, along with oncological and postoperative outcomes, were stratified by no AL versus non-severe leak (NSL) versus severe esophageal AL (SEAL). SEAL was defined as ALs associated with Clavien-Dindo grade III/IV complications.
resultsThis study included 1063 patients, of whom 8% (87/1063) developed AL; 45% of those who developed AL were SEALs (39/87). SEAL was associated with a prolonged critical care stay (median 8 vs. 3 vs. 2 days; p < 0.001) and prolonged hospital stay (median 43 vs. 27 vs. 15 days; p < 0.001) compared with NSL or no AL. There were no significant differences in number of lymph nodes harvested and rates of R1 resection between groups. OS and RFS were not affected by either NSL or SEAL, and Cox multivariate regression showed NSL and SEAL were not independently associated with OS and RFS. Sensitivity analysis in patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy followed by esophagectomy demonstrated similar findings.
conclusionThese results demonstrate that AL leads to prolonged critical care and in-hospital length of stay; however, contrary to previous reports, our results do not compromise long-term outcomes and are unlikely to have a detrimental oncological impact.
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