Study summary
Watching instead of operating did not shorten survival at 2 years
74% vs 71%alive at 2 years, watching vs surgery
What was tested
After chemoradiation, people with no sign of remaining cancer either had surgery as usual or were watched closely, with surgery only if the cancer came back. Both types of esophageal cancer were included.
What they found
- Survival at 2 years was 74% with watching and 71% with surgery, meeting the trial's test for being no worse.
- People were followed for about 3 years.
- Results were not reported separately for the squamous type.
- Groups were not assigned one person at a time, which weakens the comparison.
What it means
The best evidence so far that some people can avoid an esophagectomy. The larger NEEDS trial tests this in squamous cancer specifically.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team.
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