Background: Studies have demonstrated that pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients undergoing tri-modality treatment for esophageal cancer predicts for decreased local and distant recurrence, as well as increased survival. Increased time from chemoradiation (CRT) to surgery has been shown to increase pCR rates in rectal cancer. This study assessed the effect of the time between the end of CRT and surgery on pCR rates in esophageal cancer. Methods: Clinical records identified 231 patients with resectable esophageal cancer who were treated with CRT from 2000 to 2011, of which 89 underwent subsequent surgery. The records were analyzed for predictors of pCR. Univariate and multivariable analyses were used to determine the significance of all predictors of pCR. Results: Of 89 patients completing trimodality therapy, 76 were male, and the median age was 61 years (range=36-80). Adenocarcinomas comprised 75 patients, and 14 were squamous cell carcinomas. Nine patients had T1/T2 lesions and 80 patients had T3/T4 lesions; 68 patients had node positive tumors. 72 patients received 5FU-based therapy and 17 patients received carboplatin-based therapy. The median radiation dose was 5040 cGy (720-6000) and median follow-up was 24 months. Overall, pCR was seen in 21 patients (24%). The median time from CRT to surgery for a pCR was 102 days vs. 87 days for less than a pCR (p=0.06). By quartile of time from CRT to surgery, pCRs were 18% for <81 days, 13% for 81-88 days, 18% for 89-102 days, and 45% for 103+ days (p=0.05). Multivariable logistic regression showed a trend towards a difference in pCR rates by interval quartile (p=0.06); OR for the highest vs lowest quartile was 5.3 (95% CI=1.1 to 25.6). T stage, N stage, histology, radiation dose and type of chemotherapy were not predictive of a pCR. Conclusions: In this retrospective study, increased time between CRT and surgery was associated with a trend toward increased pCR rates; patients in the longest interval quartile (103+ days) had more pCRs than patients in the shortest interval quartile (<81 days). These data suggest further evaluation of time from CRT to surgery is warranted.