Organ-Sparing Approach after Neoadjuvant Treatment in Oesophageal Cancer.

Abstract

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) or perioperative chemotherapy followed by surgical resection is the standard of care for oesophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancer. Up to a third of patients will have a pathological complete response to neoadjuvant treatment. Given the significant morbidity associated with surgery, active surveillance is considered as a potential alternative for patients with clinical complete response post-nCRT.

Summary: The preSANO and preSINO trials have validated a multimodal diagnostic strategy combining oesophagogastroduodenoscopy with bite-on-bite biopsies, endoscopic ultrasonography with fine-needle aspiration of suspicious lymph nodes, and PET-CT to detect residual disease. The SANO trial is assessing whether active surveillance leads to non-inferior overall survival compared to planned surgery. Early results of randomized studies support previous retrospective reports of comparable oncological outcomes, with improved quality of life in the surveillance group. Despite concerns of increased morbidity of postponed surgery upon recurrence, recent data indicate comparable surgical outcomes of delayed oesophagectomy. Ongoing trials, including SANO-2, CELEAC, and NEEDS, aim to rationalize surveillance protocols, while SANO-3 is investigating the role of adding immunotherapy in improving response durability.

Key messages: Active surveillance represents a promising alternative to surgery for oesophageal cancer patients achieving complete clinical response after neoadjuvant therapy. While it can spare patients the morbidity of oesophagectomy and significantly improve quality of life, it requires accurate response assessment and structured follow-up. Future developments, including immunotherapy and non-invasive diagnostics, may further refine this approach and expand its safe applicability.