The Importance of the Circumferential Radial Margin After Resection of Esophageal Cancer

Survival among patients with esophageal cancer is poor, and surgery remains an integral part of the multimodal management of these patients. The circumferential radial margin is not routinely evaluated intraoperatively and is currently not part of the staging system. Although definitions of radial margin differ, accumulating evidence suggests that radial margin positivity is associated with aggressive tumor types. Additionally, despite the heterogeneity of the available evidence, abundant data indicate that radial margin positivity is associated with poor oncologic outcomes after resection of esophageal cancer. Here, we review the current evidence on the circumferential radial margin after resection of esophageal cancer.