Table 2 Patients’ in- and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria

- Histologically proven adenocarcinoma of the mid or distal intrathoracic esophagus or adenocarcinoma of the GE junction

- Eligible for Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy

- Surgically resectable (T1-4a, N0–3, M0)

- Age ≥ 18 and ≤ 90 years

- European Clinical Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0,1 or 2

- Written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

- Carcinoma of the cervical or proximal thoracic esophagus

- Carcinoma of the gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) with the bulk of the tumor in the gastric cardia

- Prior thoracic surgery at the right hemithorax or thoracic trauma