Recurrence Following Anastomotic Leakage After Surgery for Carcinoma of the Distal Esophagus and Gastroesophageal Junction: A Systematic Review

Background: Esophageal cancer is the ninth most common cancer. The only potentially curative treatment is surgical resection, which unfortunately is still associated with major complications, the most important being anastomotic leakage, currently with an overall rate of up to 26% morbidity. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the relationship between anastomotic leakage and recurrence of disease. Materials and Methods: A literature search was systematically performed. Seven out of 312 articles dated between 2009 and 2018 fulfilled the selection for a total of 5,433 patients. Results: The frequency of anastomotic leakage ranged from 7.2 to 11.2%. Patients affected by anastomotic leakage had a recurrence rate of 9-56%. Conclusion: Closer follow-up or even more aggressive oncological therapy should be considered for patients affected by anastomotic leakage after surgery for carcinoma of the distal esophagus and gastroesophageal junction.