# Comparison of the efficacy of different treatments after non-curative endoscopic resection of superficial esophageal carcinoma: a meta-analysis

## TL;DR

This study compares treatments after non-curative endoscopic resection for early-stage esophageal cancer and finds that adjuvant treatment reduces recurrence risk.

## Contribution

A meta-analysis comparing adjuvant treatment options after non-curative endoscopic resection for superficial esophageal carcinoma.

## Key findings

- Adjuvant treatment significantly reduces recurrence rates compared to observation.
- No significant difference in recurrence rates between surgery and chemoradiotherapy.
- Lymphovascular invasion is a significant risk factor for recurrence.

## Abstract

This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy of different treatments after non-curative endoscopic resection for superficial esophageal carcinoma.

Databases including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data were searched from inception to November 25, 2025. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager version 5.3, with Stata version 15 employed for supplementary statistical assessments.

A total of 13 studies involving 1,304 patients were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the recurrence rate after non-curative endoscopic resection of superficial esophageal carcinoma was significantly higher in the observation group than in the adjuvant treatment group (OR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.88–5.62, P < 0.0001). However, there was no significant difference in recurrence rate between the chemoradiotherapy group and the surgery group (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.23–1.84, P = 0.42). Patients with lymphovascular invasion had a higher recurrence rate, which was statistically significant (OR = 4.01, 95% CI: 1.48–10.84, P = 0.006).

Lymphovascular invasion is a risk factor for recurrence in patients. The adjuvant treatment group shows significantly reduced recurrence rates compared to the observation group, with no significant difference in recurrence rates between surgical and chemoradiotherapeutic approaches.

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD420251108299.