Robot-assisted versus thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy for locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy
Menée sur la période 2016-2021 auprès de 251 patients atteints d'un carcinome épidermoïde de l'oesophage de stade localement avancé (durée médiane de suivi : 24,3 mois), cette étude compare l'efficacité, après une chimioradiothérapie néoadjuvante et du point de vue des résultats périopératoires et de la survie, d'une oesophagectomie assistée par robot et d'une oesophagectomie thoraco-laparoscopique
Introduction: Robot-assisted oesophagectomy (RAE) and thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy (TLE) are surgical techniques for the treatment of oesophageal cancer. This study aimed to compare the perioperative and mid-term outcomes of RAE versus TLE for patients with locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT). Methods: Consecutive patients receiving nCRT plus RAE or TLE were retrospectively included in this single-institution study from January 2016 to January 2021. Perioperative outcomes were compared and survival analysis was performed. Results: This study enrolled 251 patients, 80 (31.9%) in RAE and 171 (68.1%) in TLE. The conversion rate was equivalent in RAE versus TLE (3.8% vs 2.9%, P = 1). Median operative time in RAE was significantly shorter than that in TLE (254 vs 289 min, P < 0.001). Compared to TLE, RAE harvested more lymph nodes along the recurrent laryngeal nerve [4 (3–6) vs 3 (1–5), P < 0.001]. Overall complications were similar in RAE compared to TLE (38.8% vs 38.0%, P = 0.911). No statistically significant difference in disease-free survival (log-rank P = 0.721) or overall survival (log-rank P = 0.325) was found between groups. Conclusions: Compared to TLE, RAE could achieve shorter operative duration and better lymph nodes dissection along the bilateral RLN for locally advanced ESCC after nCRT, with comparable short-term outcomes. A long-term survival remains to be verified.