Characterization of pathologic complete response after preoperative chemoradiotherapy in carcinoma of the esophagus and outcome after pathologic complete response

BACKGROUND. The purpose of the current study was to test the hypothesis that a lower clinical TNM stage is associated with a higher rate of pathologic complete response (pathCR) in patients with esophageal carcinoma receiving preoperative chemoradiotherapy and to determine whether Outcome after pathCR is related to clinical stage or treatment. METHODS. Clinical parameters and surgical specimens of patients with esophageal carcinoma undergoing preoperative chemoradiotherapy were analyzed to identify predictors of pathCR. In patients with pathCR, predictors of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and distant recurrence were Studied. RESULTS. Sixty-nine (29%) of 235 patients achieved pathCR. In patients with American joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Stage II carcinoma, the proportion achieving pathCR was significantly larger than that achieving