Esophageal Cancer Staging: Inaccuracy Impacts Attainment of Optimal Oncologic Outcomes

In clinical staging for early-stage esophageal cancer, 41.2% of patients experienced upstaging upon final pathology. Tumor size, histology, and delayed esophagectomy (>30 days) were linked to upstaging risk. The rate of achieving optimal oncologic outcomes dropped from 43.8% (reliable clinical staging) to 22.5% (considering upstaging). The study underscores the impact of inaccuracies in clinical staging on providers’ ability to attain favorable oncologic results in CT1bN0 esophageal cancer cases.