[Recurrence after surgical treatment of epidermoid cancers of the esophagus. Therapeutic approach in 19 patients].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to report the management of 19 patients with recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after surgical treatment.


METHODS
Nineteen patients with loco-regional recurrent invasion (n = 13) or metastasis (n = 6) of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were included. Four of the 13 patients with loco-regional recurrent invasion had tracheal involvement. The treatment of the recurrence was a combined radiochemotherapy (n = 12) for loco-regional recurrent invasion in 11 cases and for metastasis in 1 case, associated with a tracheal prosthesis in 1 patient. The other treatments were chemotherapy alone (n = 5), esophageal prosthesis (n = 1) and surgical treatment (n = 1).


RESULTS
There were 7 objective responses among the 12 patients treated with combined radiochemotherapy and none in the group treated with chemotherapy alone. Grade 3-4 toxicity was noticed in 2 cases (severe mucositis). Survival rate of the 19 patients was 52.6% at 1 year and 13.1% at 2 years; it was linked with general health (P = 0.09) and with tracheal involvement (P = 0.04). Survival rate of the 12 patients treated by combined radiochemotherapy was higher: 66% at 1 year and 22.2% at 2 years (median survival time = 16 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Active medical treatment of recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by combined radiochemotherapy can provide a median survival time of 16 months, with a moderate toxicity.
Seitz
J F
JF
Unité d'Oncologie Digestive, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille.
Renou
C
C
Perrier
H
H
Thomas
P
P
Hannoun-Levy
J M
JM
Giovannini
M
M
Bardou
V J
VJ
Hardwigsen
J
J
Guidicelli
R
R
Fuentes
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy