Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41787079›Full record

ArticleSurgical endoscopy2026

Robot-assisted versus thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: long-term oncological and functional outcomes.

Koshiro Ishiyama, Ryoko Nozaki, Ryota Kakuta, Shota Igaue, Eigo Akimoto, Daichi Utsunomiya, Daisuke Kurita, Yasuyuki Seto, Hiroyuki Daiko

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Koshiro IshiyamaDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
Ryoko NozakiDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
Ryota KakutaDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
Shota IgaueDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
Eigo AkimotoDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
Daichi UtsunomiyaDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
Daisuke KuritaDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
Yasuyuki SetoDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
Hiroyuki DaikoDivision of Esophageal Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. hdaiko@ncc.go.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9562-2966

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRobot-assisted esophagectomy (RE) has been increasingly adopted as an alternative to thoracoscopic esophagectomy (TE) for esophageal cancer. While RE has shown perioperative advantages, its long-term oncological and functional outcomes remain unclear. This study compared short- and long-term outcomes, as well as postoperative changes in body composition and pulmonary function.

methodsWe retrospectively reviewed 639 patients who underwent esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer between 2018 and 2022. After excluding non-standard procedures, 205 underwent RE and 434 TE. Propensity score matching was performed based on demographic, nutritional, functional, and oncological factors, yielding 122 matched pairs. Surgical outcomes, complications, overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS), skeletal muscle index (SMI), and pulmonary function (FEV1) were compared.

resultsIn the matched cohort, RE was associated with reduced blood loss, lower inflammatory response, and shorter ICU stay, with comparable complication rates to TE. The 3-year OS was higher in RE than TE (78.1% vs 68.1%, p = 0.01), particularly in cStage III (71.8% vs 57.5%, p = 0.044), whereas RFS was similar. Univariate analysis identified TE, pT > 3, pStage > III, and lymphovascular invasion as adverse prognostic factors, while multivariate analysis confirmed pStage > III as the only independent predictor (HR 5.20, 95% CI 2.54-10.40, p < 0.001). SMI remained above the sarcopenia threshold (7 kg/m

conclusionsRE was associated with improved perioperative recovery and early functional preservation compared with TE. The observed differences in OS were not confirmed in multivariable analysis.

Indexed as

Esophageal NeoplasmsEsophagectomyRobotic Surgical ProceduresThoracoscopyAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPostoperative ComplicationsRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeLong-term outcomesPulmonary functionRobot-assisted esophagectomySkeletal muscle mass

Identifiers

PMID41787079

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.