It has been reported that patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who achieved pathological complete response (PCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy have better survival than those with non-PCR. Howeve, there is still recurrent diseases developed in PCR patients after esophagectomy. Herein, we aimed to investgate the risk factors of recurrence in PCR patients.

Between January 2008 and December 2018, a total of 96 patients with pathological complete response were enrolled in this study. Sterilized lymph nodes (SLN) were defined as those lymph nodes without residual tumor but with the presence of treatment response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed with univariate and multivariate analyses.

Inclusion Criteria:

(1) patients with histopathologically confirmed ESCC;(2) patients received nCRT and radical esophagectomy in our hospital;(3) patients received the cisplabin plus or cisplain plus as the preoperative chemotherapy regimen; (4) those patients achieved PCR in the postoperative specimens (both primary tumor and resected lymph nodes).

Exclusion Criteria:

(1) patients who did not receive preoperative treatment or received preoperative chemotherapy alone;(2) patients who underwent Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy or Sweet esophagectomy;(3) patients who received preoperative chemotherapy other than NP or DP regimens;(4) patients with non-PCR to nCRT.

all the ESCC patients with PCR to nCRT betwee 2008 and 2018 who received cisplabin plus or cisplain plus as the preoperative chemotherapy regimen.