Table 1 Schedule of enrolment, interventions and assessments

0

1

2.5

4

7

13

25

Enrolment:

 Eligibility screen

X

 Informed consent

X

 Allocation

X

Interventions:

 MIE with cervical anastomosis

X

 MIE with intrathoracic anastomosis

X

Assessments:

 Baseline patient characteristics

X

 Baseline tumour characteristics

X

 QOL questionnaires

X

X

X

X

X

X

 CE questionnaires

X

X

X

X

X

 Postoperative outcome data

X

 Pathology data

X

 Functional recovery data

X

X

X

X

X

X

 Oncologic follow-up data

X

X

X

X

X