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A 74-year-old man had locally advanced esophageal cancer with a tracheal diverticulum(cT3brN2M0, cStage ⅢB). After induction chemoradiotherapy, consisting of 3 courses of mFOLFOX therapy and 40 Gy radiotherapy, thoracoscopic radical esophagectomy was performed safely without tracheal injury. Histopathological findings showed that the therapeutic effect was Grade 3. Esophageal cancer has been recurrence-free for 1 year and 3 months after surgery.

We report a case of thoracic aortic thrombosis that developed during preoperative 5-fluorouracil plus cisplatin(FP)therap y for esophageal cancer. Esophagectomy was performed after continued FP therapy along with anticoagulant therapy. The patient was an 80-year-old man diagnosed with thoracic esophageal cancer(Mt, cT3rN1M1a, cStage ⅢA). He was started on the FP regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)after the first course of chemotherapy showed thoracic aortic thrombosis. FP chemotherapy was continued, and rivaroxaban was administered as an anticoagulant therapy. Preoperative CT revealed nearly complete thrombus resolution of the thrombus. The patient underwent a thoracoscopic esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection for esophageal cancer and was discharged after an uneventful postoperative course. There was no recurrence of aortic thrombosis.

An 81-year-old man who presented at another hospital with a chief complaint of throat congestion underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, which revealed an esophagogastric(EG)junction tumor. The tumor was a Type 3 lesion extending from the lower esophagus to the gastric cardia(cT3N2M0); the patient underwent surgery(left thoraco-laparotomic proximal gastrectomy+lower esophagectomy). The histological examination confirmed the tumor to be a type of adenocarcinoma. Immunostaining of tumor cells showed positive staining for SALL4 and AFP, indicating a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation, comprising cells resembling the fetal gastrointestinal epithelium and testing positive for AFP, Glypican-3, or SALL4. Herein, we report a case of a patient with adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation at the EG junction and present current insights from a literature review.

We report 2 pathological complete response (pCR) cases of neoadjuvant UDON(5-fluorouracil, docetaxel, and nedaplatin)therapy without any adverse events in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. One patient was a 58-year-old man. He complained of dysphagia and was diagnosed with advanced mid-thoracic esophageal cancer (Mt, SCC, cT3rN1M0, cStage Ⅲ). After 3 courses of UDON therapy without any adverse events, mediastinoscopic radical esophagectomy was performed without any postoperative complications. The second patient was a 72-year-old man. Advanced esophageal cancer (Mt, SCC, cT3rN0M0, Stage Ⅱ)was detected during treatment for ischemic heart disease. After 2 courses of UDON therapy without any adverse events, including cardiac events, mediastinoscopic radical esophagectomy was performed without any postoperative complications. UDON therapy, which is similar to DCF(docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-FU)therapy, comprises divided doses of docetaxel and nedaplatin, which minimizes adverse effects on the bone marrow, heart, and kidneys. UDON therapy may be a safe and effective regimen and a reasonable and recommended choice for older and high-risk patients with advanced esophageal cancer.

The 12th edition of the Management of Esophageal Cancer guidelines recommends a regimen that includes immune checkpoint inhibitor(ICI)therapy as the primary treatment for Stage ⅣB esophageal cancer, which increases the number of treatment options. Surgical intervention at the appropriate time may improve patient prognosis. Here, we describe 2 cases of conversion surgery for patients with Stage ⅣB esophageal cancer who were successfully treated with ICI therapy. The number of patients for whom ICI can be incorporated into multimodal treatments and conversion surgeries is expected to increase in the future.

A 75-year-old man presenting with dysphagia was referred to our hospital and diagnosed with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)accompanied by an intramural metastasis in the gastric wall. Following completion of 3 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)with docetaxel/cisplatin/5-fluorouracil(DCF), the patient underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy with 3-field lymph node dissection. Histopathological examination showed no viable cancer cells in the esophageal and gastric wall, confirming a complete response. The patient was alive with no evidence of disease as of the 5-year postoperative follow-up. According to the results of a clinical trial conducted by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG1109), DCF has become the standard NAC regimen for clinical Stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ ESCC. Although ESCC with a gastric intramural metastasis is notorious for its dismal prognosis, multidisciplinary treatment with intensive NAC and radical surgery may provide a cure for even for patients with highly advanced disease.

Introduction: Preoperative chemotherapy(5-FU, docetaxel and nedaplatin: UDON), minimally invasive mediastinoscopic esophagectomy, and postoperative enteral nutrition are used to improve outcomes in esophageal cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a perioperative clinical pathway for the multidisciplinary treatment of esophageal cancer., Methods: Fifty-seven patients who underwent mediastinoscopic esophagectomy were retrospectively evaluated., Result: We compared the results before(35 cases)and after(22 cases)the introduction of the clinical pathway. Postoperative complications(Clavien-Dindo classification≥Ⅱ)decreased after the introduction of the clinical pathway(48.6% to 22.7%), and postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter(median 17 days to 14 days). Perioperative enteral nutrition and night home enteral nutrition at 3 and 6 months after surgery could reduce the weight loss rate(35 cases)to 4.4% and 4.6%(8.4% and 11.9% in 10 cases in the non-enteral group)., Conclusion: A clinical pathway including UDON therapy, minimally invasive mediastinoscopic esophagectomy with nerve integrity monitoring, and postoperative enteral nutritional therapy can provide multidisciplinary treatment without worsening nutritional status and ADL.

We report a case of advanced esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma with lymph node metastasis treated with preoperative S-1 plus oxaliplatin, resulting in a pathologic complete response was achieved. A 73-year-old woman was diagnosed with a large type 3 esophagogastric junction tumor with lymph node metastasis(GE, cT3N+M0, cStage Ⅲ), and was treated with 2 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)with S-1/oxaliplatin combination therapy(SOX therapy). Gastrointestinal endoscopy showed remarkable reduction of the primary tumor, and abdominal computed tomography scan showed reduction of the enlarged lymph node. Robot-assisted esophagectomy with D2 dissection was performed. Histopathological examination revealed no residual tumor cells in the primary tumor or lymph nodes, and the response to chemotherapy was assessed as Grade 3(pCR).

A 62-year-old man was diagnosed with Stage Ⅲ signet ring cell carcinoma of the lower thoracic esophagus. The patient underwent 2 courses of neoadjuvant cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil(SP therapy), demonstrating stable efficacy. Subsequently, the patient underwent subtotal esophagectomy with thoracoabdominal 2-field lymphadenectomy via right thoracotomy, followed by esophageal reconstruction using a gastric tube through a retrosternal route. Pathological examination revealed a signet ring cell carcinoma of the esophagogastric junction(pT3, pN2, sM0, and fStage Ⅲ). Postoperatively, the patient received chemotherapy with S-1 for 2 years owing to multiple lymph node metastases. Remarkably, the patient remained free of recurrence 6 years after surgery. We encountered a case of long-term survival in esophagogastric junction cancer with multiple lymph node metastases, typically associated with poor prognosis, following pre- and postoperative chemotherapy and radical surgery.

A 91-year-old man with thoracic esophageal cancer(pT3N1M0, pStage Ⅲ)and gastric cancer(pT1b2N0M0, pStage ⅠA)underwent esophagectomy. Three years and 4 months postoperatively, chest computed tomography revealed a mass shadow near the aortic arch. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor-like lesion on the left wall of the gastric tube, which was identified as recurrent esophageal cancer. The patient and his family strongly requested nivolumab administration and initiated treatment. The tumor shrank remarkably after 6 months of nivolumab therapy. Although an immune-related adverse event(irAE)was observed, no other adverse events occurred. After 1 year of administration, the tumor did not increase, and remained under control. We suggest that nivolumab therapy is an effective regimen for older patients with recurrent or inoperable esophageal cancer that is difficult to treat with conventional anticancer drugs, provided that strong irAEs do not occur.

A 57-year-old man was diagnosed as having resectable advanced esophageal carcinoma adjacent to the trachea(Ut, cT3N0M0)and received preoperative docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil therapy. Due to tracheal tumor invasion and upstaging to cT4bN0M0 after 1 course of chemotherapy, the treatment was converted to definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). A remarkable response with no evidence of tracheal invasion was observed on computed tomography following definitive CRT. He underwent successful curative resection with salvage esophagectomy, and the resected tumor was staged as pT1bN0M0. No adjuvant therapy was administered, and the patient was alive with no evidence of disease at the 5-year postoperative follow-up. The response to preoperative treatment should be meticulously assessed and appropriate treatment modalities used to avoid overlooking the potential for cure, even if the response to preoperative treatment with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil is poor.

A 26-year-old man referred to our hospital because of dysphagia and a mediastinal tumor detected on chest computed tomography (CT). A contrast-enhanced CT revealed a 12 cm long cystic tumor along the right thoracic esophagus. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed no abnormalities in the esophageal mucosa, and an unclear boundary between the tumor and the esophageal wall was observed by echography. In surgery, the tumor and the esophagus were in one lump, and esophagectomy was performed. On the fourth postoperative day, esophagogastric anastomosis was performed with poststernal reconstruction, and the patient was discharged home on the 38th postoperative day. Pathological examination revealed that the mass was a cystic lesion within the esophageal muscular layer, and the cyst wall was coated with airway-like multi-lineal hairy epithelium, which led to the diagnosis of a bronchogenic cyst. Even if the cyst is within the esophageal muscularis layer, bronchogenic cyst should be considered in the differential.

The combination of nutritional therapy and rehabilitation in the perioperative period is expected to have synergistic effects on nutrition, muscle mass, inflammation, and other systemic conditions. It is important to form a perioperative team composed of members from other professions in order to implement a nutritional rehabilitation program efficiently and explain it in an easy-to-understand manner to patients. Nutritional guidance by a dietitian is provided from the preoperative outpatient visit, and a target daily nutritional intake is established. A feeding tube or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) may be considered for patients with inadequate oral intake. Products containing branched-chain amino acids should be administered after exercise. Preoperative upper and lower limb muscle strengthening training is provided by physical and occupational therapists, and postoperative coughing and standing exercises are performed at the same time to facilitate the introduction of postoperative training. Postoperative nutritional management is primarily enteral nutrition through a tube enterostomy tube. Oral intake is resumed after fluoroscopy on day 7. The patient will be trained in bed for joint mobility, sitting on the edge of the bed, and standing on day 1. Gait training is started on day 2. After the third day, gait training is performed in the ward, and stretching, strength training, bicycle ergometer, and other exercises are performed in the training room. It is important to provide seamless nutritional rehabilitation therapy from preoperative to postoperative outpatient.

We report a case of recurrent esophageal cancer with long-term survival treated by S-1 monotherapy. A 66-year-old man underwent subtotal esophagectomy, two-field lymphadenectomy after 2 courses of DCF chemotherapy for esophageal cancer 1 year earlier. The final diagnosis was esophageal cancer, Lt, CT-Type 2, ypT3, ypN0(0/62), M0, ypStage Ⅲ. At 6 months after esophagectomy, CT scan revealed mediastinal lymph node metastasis and pleural dissemination, and paclitaxel monotherapy was performed, but lymph node re-enlargement was observed on CT at 12 months after esophagectomy. Chemotherapy with S-1 monotherapy was performed, and 3 months after initiation of S-1 monotherapy, CT showed reduced lymph node metastases and pleural dissemination remained reduced. Adverse events were CTCAE v5.0 Grade 2 thrombocytopenia and diarrhoea, but no Grade 3 or higher adverse events were observed. Long-term survival was achieved with no disease progression for more than 2.5 years after initiation of S-1 monotherapy.

Introduction: There is concerned that prognosis of cancer-bearing patients is adversely affected by postponement of cancer treatment due to infection with a new type of coronavirus(COVID-19). We report a case of thoracic esophageal cancer treated with COVID-19 pneumonia during preoperative CRT. A 60-year-old female diagnosed as having Stage Ⅳ thoracic esophageal cancer(cT3N0M1LYM[104R])started receiving preoperative chemoradiotherapy. On the 12th day, she had a fever and was diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. CRT temporarily interrupted and she was treated for COVID-19 pneumonia preferentially. CRT was resumed promptly after remission. Finally, video-Assisted radical esophagectomy was performed. There were no postoperative complications. Nivolumab was started as an adjuvant therapy on the 2nd postoperative months., Conclusions: We experienced a case of thoracic esophageal cancer in which COVID-19 pneumonia was treated during preoperative CRT, and CRT and surgery were completed without complications by appropriate treatment.

Case 1: A 73-year-old male, who had an intraductal papillary mucinous adenocarcinoma or resectable pancreatic cancer at the uncinate process of the pancreas five years after subtotal esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, underwent pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy(PPPD). Case 2: A 68-year-old male, who also had a resectable pancreatic cancer at the uncinate process of the pancreas 3 years after subtotal esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, underwent PPPD following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In both cases, right gastroepiploic artery and vein were preserved to maintain the perfusion of the gastric tube during surgery. Indocyanine Green(ICG)fluorography was performed just before duodenal-jejunal anastomosis, which visually showed the well-perfused gastric tube. Both patients had no necrosis of the gastric tube, nor gastrointestinal obstruction after surgery. Intraoperative ICG fluorography was useful to evaluate the blood flow of the remaining gastric tube visually during PPPD for post-esophagectomy patients.

There are 2 main histologic types of esophageal cancer: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common histology type in the world, but in Europe and the United States, adenocarcinoma is the most common type. The standard treatments differ between Japan and the Europe and the United States, especially in the perioperative treatments. Standard treatment in Japan is preoperative chemotherapy based on the results of the JCOG1109 trial. While in Europe and the United States, the standard treatment is preoperative chemoradiotherapy based on the results of the CROSS trial and postoperative nivolumab according to the results of CheckMate 577 trial. In surgical treatment, 3- region lymph node dissection is the standard in Japan, whereas in Europe and the United States, where the lower esophagus, mainly adenocarcinoma, is often treated, 2-region lymph node dissection of the middle and lower mediastinum is the standard. Due to these differences in established treatments, the results of clinical trials in other countries cannot be extrapolated to standard treatment in Japan. Therefore, it is essential to understand the differences in standard treatment in East Asia, where esophageal squamous cell carcinoma frequently occurs, and other countries, and to deepen exchanges with experts in each country, so that international clinical trials can be designed and standard treatment can be established.

Surgical treatment of gastric tube cancer after thoracic gastrectomy is highly invasive, especially for gastric tube cancer of the posterior mediastinal tract, and in some cases, a reduction surgery is an option. We have experienced 4 cases of posterior mediastinal reconstructive gastric tube cancer in which local resection by thoracoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery( TECS)was conducted. All cases had undergone video-assisted thoracoscopic subtotal esophagectomy and posterior mediastinal gastric tube reconstruction for thoracic esophageal cancer. In 1 case, endoscopic submucosal dissection was performed, but it showed positive for vertical margins. Other cases were not indicated for endoscopic resection. Considering the patient's background, we decided to preserve the gastric tube and planned local resection by TECS. One patient was transferred to open thoracotomy due to severe adhesion, and 1 patient underwent segmental resection and 2-stage reconstruction due to narrowing of the gastric tube lumen at the suture closure. In all cases, the resection margins were negative and the patients are alive without recurrence of gastric tube cancer. Local resection of gastric tube with TECS for posterior mediastinal tract reconstructive gastric tube cancer may be useful as a less invasive surgical treatment.

A 78-year-old man with advanced thoracic esophageal cancer underwent radical esophagectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin plus 5-FU. He had left adrenal metastasis 10 months after surgery and removed it, but 3 months later he had liver metastases. After 2 courses of chemotherapy with nedaplatin plus 5-FU, resection was performed. One course of nedaplatin plus 5-FU for adjuvant chemotherapy was added, but the patient was followed up without another chemotherapy after surgery because of intestinal obstruction due to infection and increase of the lymphatic cyst in the abdominal cavity. Six months after the liver resection, nodules appeared in the right lung, and 4 months later, multiple nodules extending to both lungs were observed. Therefore, it was judged that there were multiple lung metastases, and administration of nivolumab was started. He has been 3 years since the recurrence of esophageal cancer and 17 months after the start of nivolumab administration, but the recurrence lesion is only progressing to lung metastasis.

We report the surgical case of advanced esophageal cancer with cirrhosis in a patient who has been cancer-free for 6 years after overcoming anastomotic leakage, purulent osteomyelitis, cervical lymph node recurrence, and systemic edema. A 69-year-old woman visited our hospital and presented with the complaint of a food sticking sensation. Endoscopic findings showed a type 3 tumor in the middle thoracic esophagus. Esophagectomy was subsequently performed. Histopathological findings revealed poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, Mt, 17×15 mm, type 3, pT3, pIM0, pPM0, pDM0, pRM0, pN2(7/18), pStage Ⅲ, and liver cirrhosis(F4, A1-2). Postoperative suture failure was observed; however, it conservatively improved in approximately 2 months. The patient had lower back pain since approximately 6 weeks after the surgery, and she was diagnosed with purulent spondylitis and was administered antibiotics. The patient was subsequently discharged 67 days after the surgery. One course of 5-FU+CDDP was administered as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. However, renal function deteriorated, and chemotherapy was discontinued. Four months after the surgery, cervical echography revealed recurrence in the left cervical lymph node, and docetaxel(DTX)was administered. Five DTX doses were administered, because of which the left cervical lymph nodes markedly shrunk. Moreover, the sixth dose of DTX resulted in febrile neutropenia and a large amount of abdominal pleural effusion. Consequently, the patient was hospitalized. Tolvaptan treatment was extremely effective, and the thoracic ascites disappeared. Esophageal cancer has not recurred, and the patient is being observed at an outpatient clinic 6 years after the surgery.

Esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma is extremely rare, and its treatment strategy has not been established. We report 2 cases esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma. Case 1: A 74-year-old man was diagnosed as having esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma(clinical T3N4M0, Stage Ⅳa). He received 60 Gy of radiation therapy with etoposide(100 mg/m2)plus cisplatin(80 mg/m2). No recurrence has been detected 1 year after treatment. Case 2: A 78-year-old man was diagnosed as esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma(clinical T3N0M0, Stage Ⅱ). He underwent esophagectomy with 3 field lymph nodes dissection. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered with irinotecan(60 mg/m2)plus cisplatin(60 mg/m2). After chemotherapy, he survived 1 year without recurrence.

G-CSF producing esophageal carcinosarcoma is extremely rare, and its effective treatment strategy remains undefined. Here, we report the case of a 69-year-old woman who underwent successful two-stage surgery using mediastinoscopic esophagectomy and laparoscopic reconstruction for the management of severe anemia, malnutrition, and inflammation due to G-CSF producing esophageal carcinosarcoma(G-CSF 265 pg/mL). Chemoradiotherapy could not manage lymph node recurrences in the patient; however, nivolumab was found to be effective and helped achieved a prolonged partial response.

Metastatic cardiac lesions are clinically silent and are usually found a necropsy. The most common primary tumor resulting in cardiac metastases is carcinoma of the lung, with there being only a few reports of metastases from esophageal cancer. We report two cases of metastatic cardiac tumors in the left atrium from esophageal cancer and perform a review of the literature. Case 1:A 62-year-old woman underwent esophagectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. No other metastases were observed. Case 2:A 49-year-old man also underwent esophagectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy for lymph node and liver metastases. In both patients, the left atrial tumors were detected on recent follow-up computed tomography. Left atrial tumors often cause cerebral emboli with neurological sequelae. Therefore, surgical resection and cryo-ablation for the prevention of local recurrence were performed on the metastatic tumors. Local recurrence was not observed after the surgery in both patients. Although chemotherapy is usu-ally the most beneficial treatment for metastatic cardiac lesions, left atrial tumor should be treated with surgical resection because of the high risk of cerebral emboli. We suggest that surgical resection with cryo-ablation may prevent local recurrence.

A 71-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of an esophageal submucosal tumor. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor of 40×25 mm with ulceration in the lower thoracic esophagus and endoscopic ultrasonographic fine needle aspiration histology showed KIT(+), CD34(+), DOG-1(+), desmin(-), S-100 protein(-). We diagnosed esophageal GIST and performed mediastinoscope-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction. Histopathological findings showed c-kit(+), Ki-67 index of 8%, and middle-risk GIST by the modified- Fletcher classification. Mediastinoscope-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy is useful in terms of shortening total operative time and preventing respiratory complications because it does not require thoracic operation, one-lung ventilation, or repositioning. Subtotal esophagectomy under a mediastinal approach could secure a margin for resection, which may reduce the risk of recurrence, and could be one of the surgical procedures for esophageal GIST.

Mediastinoscopic esophagectomy(ME)is a minimally invasive approach without thoracotomy and pulmonary atelectasis during surgery. Here, we report the case of a 67-year-old patient who was successfully treated with thoracic esophageal cancer and severe chronic pulmonary infection using ME and home enteral nutrition therapy. Esophageal cancer patients with severe lung dysfunction have a risk of postoperative pneumoniae. ME could be a promising procedure for patients with severe lung dysfunction. We highlight the usefulness of ME as a safe approach to avoid pulmonary complications.

The patient was a 67-year-old male diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction. The esophagus was markedly dilated due to severe stenosis, and aspiration pneumonia was observed. Therefore, he was treated with a W- ED tube for simultaneous esophageal decompression and enteral nutrition. Two weeks of W-ED tube placement improved esophageal dilatation and pneumonia while maintaining nutritional status; thus, he underwent proximal gastrectomy, lower esophagectomy and combined resection of distal pancreas, spleen and left crus of diaphragm with jejunal interposition reconstruction. His postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged 16 days after surgery without any postoperative infectious complications such as pneumonia, anastomotic leakage, pancreatic fistula and enterocolitis. In the preoperative management for patients with esophagogastric junction cancer with severe stenosis, simultaneous esophageal decompression and enteral nutrition using a W-ED tube is very useful because it can improve aspiration pneumonia, reduce the risk of anastomotic leakage by improving esophageal edema, and prevent disuse atrophy of small intestinal villi.

This study reports a case of a 61-year-old man with a chief complaint of anemia. The patient was diagnosed with esophageal cancer(Stage Ⅰ). Preoperative examination revealed alcoholic liver cirrhosis(Child-Pugh A, liver damage B). After a period of abstinence to improve liver function, minimally invasive esophagectomy, retrosternal reconstruction with a gastric tube, and two-field lymph node dissection were performed. The thoracic duct was preserved during the operation. Post- surgery, the bill pleural effusion was increased. Drainage was initiated using thoracentesis with frosemide, spironolactone, and tolvaptan. On post-operating day(POD)35, the patient was discharged; however, right pleural effusion continued to increase. Therefore, cell-free and concentrated reinfusion therapy for right pleural effusion was performed on POD 56. After the treatment, the pleural effusion was well-controlled with 20 mg of frosemide. This case suggested that cell-free and concentrated pleural effusion reinfusion therapy contributed to the management of refractory pleural effusion in patients with esophageal cancer accompanied by cirrhosis.

With the introduction of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence and other techniques, it has become possible to evaluate intraoperative blood flow of the reconstructed organ of esophageal cancer surgery. This has reduced critical complications such as postoperative necrosis of the reconstructed organ. However, there is still the possibility of experiencing rare blood circulation disorders of reconstructive organs, which may lead to a difficult treatment choice, including reoperation. This article reviews the indications for reoperation, the precautions to be taken, and the postoperative management of the most frequently used reconstructive organ, the gastric tube.

A 31-year-old woman was referred to our institution because of aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) six months after the descending aortic replacement for acute aortic dissection. We operated one-stage repair of the AEF. Thoracoscopic esophagectomy was firstly performed in prone position from right thoracic cavity, and then the esophagus was reconstructed with gastric conduit via posterior mediastinal route with omental flap. Secondly, graft replacement of the descending aorta using lateral oblique straight incision was performed and the graft was covered with omental flap simultaneously. The postoperative course was uneventful, and she started oral intake on the 13th day after surgery. Although the one-stage surgery for the AEF is highly invasive, it could be a good option for selected cases.

Lymph node (LN) recurrence is frequently encountered in esophageal cancer. The prognosis of patients with LN recurrence is usually very poor due to systemic disease, but there are some patients with relatively favorable prognosis by multidisciplinary treatment including surgery. It would be a good indication for surgical treatment that number of LN recurrence is the just one, and the region of LN recurrence is the just one as cervical, upper mediastinal or abdomen. However, recurrence of LN is likely to be part of a systemic disease and should be operated on as one of the multidisciplinary treatments. It is very important to carefully perform the procedures in the surgical treatment for LN recurrence, because the anatomical shift due to the previous surgery and the tissue fibrosis after surgery and irradiation make it difficult to grasp the positional relationship and boundaries with recurrence tumor as well as normal tissues such as nerves and vessels. Even if recurrence is found after radical resection, it is important to always consider what the surgeon can do to cure it.

Herein, we report on how we were able to reduce the operation time by simultaneously performing laparoscopic surgery and breast cancer surgery using a head-mounted monitor(HMS-3000MT, Sony corporation). Case 1: 60s, female. A 5.5 cm leiomyoma was found in the central thoracic esophagus, and a 1 cm breast cancer was found in the C region of the left mammary gland. Subtotal esophagectomy with right thoracotomy and laparoscopy and a left partial mastectomy were performed. For the abdominal surgery, HMS-3000MT was used under hand-assisted laparoscopy, and a left partial mastectomy was performed concurrently. Operation time was 367 minutes(simultaneous surgery for 56 minutes). Esophagus: leiomyoma, 50×45 mm; and mammary gland: 16×15 mm, pTis(DCIS), pN0(sn), cM0, and pStage 0. Case 2: 70s, female. A 3 cm sized GIST was found on the posterior wall of the middle gastric body, and a breast cancer of 1.3 cm was also found in the B region of the right mammary gland. Using HMS-3000MT, laparoscopic local resection of the stomach and right total glandectomy were performed concurrently. Operation time was 114 minutes(simultaneous surgery for 58 minutes). Stomach: GIST, 25×22 mm, and modified Flecher classification low risk; and mammary gland: invasive ductal carcinoma, 15×15 mm, pT1c, pN0(sn), cM0, and pStage Ⅰ. Conclusion: In 2 fields of surgery, simultaneous surgery using HMS-3000MT was considered to be a useful method to shorten the operation time.

Recent improvements in the survival of patients after esophagectomy have led to an increase in the occurrence of gastric tube cancers(GTC). We retrospectively examined 7 patients who were surgically treated for GTC among 13 patients who were diagnosed between April 2004 and December 2018. Partial gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection was performed in 6 patients while total resection of the stomach was performed only in 1 patient. Postoperative complications included 1 anastomotic leakage and 1 subcutaneous abscess. We performed subtotal gastrectomy with preservation of the upper region of the gastric tube in 3 patients. In these patients, blood flow was confirmed from the remnant esophagus to the upper region of the gastric tube using indocyanine green fluorescence imaging. The pathological stage of the treated GTCs were 4 cases of Stage ⅠA, 2 of Stage ⅠB, and 1 of Stage ⅡA. Median follow-up time and postoperative survival time were 32 months and 46.5 months, respectively. Most of our surgically treated cases were early gastric carcinomas that could be radically resected.

We investigated the clinical outcomes of salvage thoracoscopic esophagectomy for residual or recurrent cases after radical radiochemotherapy for cStage Ⅳa esophageal cancer. Thoracic procedure was started thoracoscopically in all cases, but converted to thoracotomy in 2 cases. The operation time was 315 minutes and the blood loss was 300 mL. Lymph node metastasis was diagnosed in 5 cases, and 2 cases were finished in R1or 2. Nine cases died of recurrence and 1 case died of pneumonia. The 2-year and 5-year survival rates(OS)of all cases were 46.1% and 28.3%, respectively. R1,2 cases and pN+ cases had significantly poor prognosis. Surgical treatment after radical radiochemotherapy for cStage Ⅳa esophageal cancer can be safely performed thoracoscopically. If R0 is not obtained, the long-term prognosis cannot be expected, and selection of R0 resectable cases is important.

Brain metastasis from esophageal cancer is rare. Symptoms such as paralysis caused a decline in quality of life(QOL)and activity of daily life(ADL)and required emergency treatment. We report 2 cases in which QOL was improved by emergency resection for brain metastasis from esophageal carcinoma with paralysis. Case 1: A 50's male was diagnosed esophageal carcinoma and underwent esophagectomy(pT3N2M0, Stage Ⅲ). Brain metastasis was detected owing to development of left hemiparesis. Craniotomy and tumorectomy were performed, left hemiparesis was improved. He died 10 months after diagnosis of brain metastasis due to progression of other metastatic lesions. Case 2: A 61-year-old female was diagnosed esophageal carcinoma and underwent esophagectomy(pT3N1M0, Stage Ⅲ). She developed right hemiparesis 5 months after esophagectomy, admitted to our hospital. Brain and lung metastases were detected, craniotomy and tumorectomy and were performed, right hemiparesis was improved. Although systemic chemotherapy was administered, she died 10 months after diagnosis of brain metastasis due to progression of lung metastasis. Conclusion: Aggressive surgical treatments for brain metastasis were one good treatment option to maintain QOL and ADL.

We analyzed retrospectively the difference in treatment selection and prognosis according to timing of recurrence after radical resection of esophageal cancer. Of 190 patients who underwent radical esophagectomy for esophageal cancer from April 2010 to December 2017, 56 patients(29.5%)had recurrent diseases during the postoperative periods. These cases were divided into 27 cases with recurrence diagnosed less than 180 days after initial surgery(Group A)and 29 cases with recurrence diagnosed more than 180 days(Group B). Although there was no difference in the pathological staging, preoperative treatment, and type of recurrence between the 2 groups, there were significantly more cases with symptomatic recurrence in Group A. Surgical intervention was possible in 1 case in Group A and 10 cases in Group B, respectively. There was significantly more in Group B. Second-line treatment was possible in only 5 cases in Group B. Survival after recurrence was tend to have better in Group B. There are few cases who indicated surgical intervention and second-line treatment in early recurrence cases after radical esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, and the prognosis is poor in such cases.

A 60-year-old man underwent thoracoscopic subtotal esophagectomy and posterior mediastinal gastric tube reconstruction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. One year and 8 months postoperatively, recurrence was observed in the abdominal lymph nodes around the celiac artery and abdominal aorta. Chemoradiotherapy was initiated, followed by chemotherapy. Two months after the completion of chemoradiotherapy, the patient developed epigastric pain and anorexia because of the necrotic lymph node penetrating the gastric tube with cavity formation. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 25- mm-sized ulcer with central necrotic slough on the posterior wall of the stomach. Abdominal symptoms alleviated after conservative treatment with fasting and administration of antibiotics, and the inflammatory reaction improved. Oral nutritional supplements were started on hospitalization day 7, and abdominal symptoms or inflammatory reactions did not recur after resuming diet. The patient was discharged on hospitalization day 39 when the general condition stabilized. Subsequently, chemotherapy was restarted, and no regrowth of metastatic lesions was observed on endoscopy or CT examination 4 months later. Three years and 8 months after the recurrence, the recurrent disease has been controlled.

Esophageal reconstruction using intestine is often performed for esophageal cancer patients in cases where the stomach cannot be used. We have previously performed reconstruction using ileocolon with supercharge and drainage as our 1st choice in those cases. However, a less invasive, simpler, and safer reconstructive technique using pedicled jejunal flap has recently become popular at our facility. When making the pedicled jejunal flap, the 1st jejunal vascular arcade was preserved, which in many cases allowed it to be pulled up to the cervical region by processing and transection up to the 2nd jejunal vascular branch. But supercharge and superdrainage may be required for pedicled jejunal flap reconstruction when blood flow of jejunal flap is not good condition. And free jejunal reconstruction is performed to reconstruction after cervical esophagectomy. Vascular anastomosis is essential for free jejunal reconstruction. This article describes the surgical technique and perioperative management of esophageal reconstruction with vascular anastomosis.

Definitive chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) in locally advanced esophageal cancer is associated with a high rate of loco-regional recurrence. In this condition, salvage esophagectomy may be considered as a therapeutic option. Despite the survival benefits of this combined approach, salvage esophagectomy remains a highly invasive procedure that confers a significant rate of morbidity and mortality and can adversely affect long-term quality of life. So careful evaluation is needed before the decision of the indication for salvage surgery. In order to prevent postoperative morbidity or mortality in patients underwent salvage esophagectomy, modifications in the surgical procedures, including minification of lymph node dissection and conversion to 2-stage surgery, are needed. Especially, it was necessary to pay attention to preserve blood flow of trachea. As aspiration pneumonia is sometimes fatal in patients after salvage esophagectomy, care to avoid aspiration is needed. Respiratory care is also essential during the follow-up period as well as perioperative period in patients who underwent salvage esophagectomy. Although salvage esophagectomy is considered a high-risk surgery, if indication for surgery was appropriate, that could be the only way which could prolong survival of locally advanced esophageal cancer patients after CRT.

According to the aging of society, elderly patients with esophageal cancer have been increasing in Japan. A multimodality treatment strategy is required to achieve long-term survival in patients with advanced-stage esophageal cancer. However, in elderly patients with impaired organ functions, the highly invasive treatment strategy is often difficult to be indicated. Esophagectomy remains the mainstay of treatment even in the elderly. Indication for esophagectomy in the elderly should be determined comprehensively, based on the physical status, life expectancy, tumor staging, and patients' desires. To predict the risk of postoperative complications, some scoring systems, such as estimation of physiology ability and surgical stress( E-PASS) and controlling nutritional status(CONUT), and the risk calculator provided by the National Clinical Database in Japan should be appropriately used. For patients with impaired organ functions, surgical procedures to reduce the surgical invasiveness, such as 2-stage operation, transhiatal esophagectomy, and mediastinoscopic esophagectomy, should be considered as an alternative to conventional transthoracic esophagectomy and reconstruction. Depending on the situations, preservation of the bronchial artery, thoracic duct, and azygos arch should be considered. A care bundle by a multidisciplinary perioperative management team may decrease postoperative morbidity and mortality rates in elderly patients undergoing esophagectomy.

A 55-year-old man with esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy along with lymph node dissection and reconstruction with gastric conduit through the sternal route. He developed a continuous cough with sputum production, 3 years postoperatively. Chest radiography revealed a right middle lung field infiltrate. Chest computed tomography revealed communication between the reconstructed esophagus and the gastric conduit( pull-up) and right middle lobe airways. Upper gastrointestinal examination revealed ulcerative lesions involving the gastric mucosa;however, biopsy of the ulcer showed no malignancy. Conservative therapy including fasting and proton-pump inhibitor administration did not improve symptoms caused by gastropleural fistula. Thoracotomy was performed through the anterolateral intercostal space under the right-up supine position, and the partial lung resection and direct closure of the stomach with muscle flap wrapping was performed.

A 68-year-old man presented to our hospital. An upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy performed elsewhere revealed an elevated lesion with a circumferential esophageal cancer(identified as small cell carcinoma). Perthe treatment forsmall cell cancer and the standard treatment for esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma, 7 courses of CBDCA(5mg/m2)plus ETP (100mg/m2)were administered. The lesion shrank and the lymph node swelling disappeared and the patient was deemed to be in partial remission. Nine months later, however, the primary tumor increased in size. A transthoracic subtotal esophagectomy( laparoscope-assisted), 2 area dissection, and gastric tube reconstruction(post-sternal)were performed at 2 years and 10 months afterdiagnosis.