Characteristics of the local recurrence pattern after curative resection and values in target region delineation in postoperative radiotherapy for lower thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer

Abstract

Local-regional recurrence of lower TESCC is mainly distributed in the supraclavicular, upper-middle mediastinum, anastomotic stoma, and upper abdominal lymph node regions. The proposed T-shaped PORT CTV field could cover over 80% of local-regional failure in our sample; therefore, we suggest that PORT should focus on this area.