Current status and future direction of lymph node dissection in radical surgery for esophageal cancer

Surgical resection is the main treatment for esophageal cancer. Lymph node dissection is an essential part of radical surgery for esophageal cancer. However, the extent of dissection, numbers of lymph nodes, and sentinel lymph nodes in lymphadenectomy are still under debate. However, a clinical practice consensus has gradually formed despite this dispute.