The emerging role of salvage esophagectomy.

The role of surgery and other treatment options for esophageal cancer continue to evolve. As more patients receive definitive chemoradiotherapy, salvage esophagectomy has emerged as an important treatment for local and regional failure. Although initial reports found high morbidity and mortality, more recent studies have found improvements in both perioperative complications and long term survival following salvage resection. We review the emerging role of salvage esophagectomy.