Examination of Surgical Specimens of the Esophagus

Esophageal cancer continues to be one of the most lethal of all gastrointestinal malignancies. Its prognostic parameters are based on the gross and histopathologic examination of resected specimens by pathologists. To describe the implications of appropriate handling and examination of endomucosal resection and esophagectomy specimens from patients with esophageal carcinoma while considering the implications of the surgical techniques used to obtain such specimens. Parameters include histopathologic findings necessary for accurate staging, differences in the assessment of margins, residual malignancy, and criteria to evaluate for tumor regression after chemoradiation therapy as well as the role of immunohistochemistry and the judicious use of frozen sections. Sources were a review of the literature and the authors' experience handling these types of specimens. Examining surgical specimens of the esophagus is critical in the management of patients with esophageal carcinoma, and it requires careful consideration of the diagnostic pitfalls, staging-related parameters, and results of molecular tests.