title: [Split-course concomitant radiochemotherapy plus surgery vs. surgery alone in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. A non-randomized retrospective study of 184 patients].
abstract: From April 1989 to October 1995, 184 patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus were treated either with surgery alone (112 patients) or with preoperative concomitant radiochemotherapy (72 patients) (2 courses of 18.5 Gy in 5 fractions, days 1-5 with continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) days 1-5 and cisplatinum day 2, separated by a 2-week interval) followed by surgery, and by 4 more courses of chemotherapy alone for good responders. Twenty-seven of these last 72 patients showed histological complete response at surgery (37.5%). There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival between the 2 groups although there were much more T1 patients (small tumors < or = 5 cm in the previous TNM classifications) and less T3 patients (evidence of spread beyond the esophagus) in the surgery alone group, and nevertheless, median survival was better in the combined treatment group (33.6 months versus 21.8 months). However, considering tumor size, there was a statistically significant difference in median survival in favor of the combined treatment group for all T2 patients (> 5 cm without evidence of spread beyond the esophagus in the previous TNM classification) (48.6 months versus 13.8 months), both for T2N0 and T2N1 patients, but also for T1N1 patients (< or = 5 cm with nodal involvement). For the few T3 patients (evidence of spread beyond the esophagus in the previous TNM classification), there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups, but the survival curves seemed to show some advantage in favor of the combined treatment group for T3N1 patients. The sex of the patients and the third of the esophagus involved by the tumor did not seem to be of any influence on survival. On the other hand, patients 70-year-old and older showed a poorer survival than other patients. Finally, significantly less patients died with loco-regional recurrences in the preoperatory radiochemotherapy group (32% versus 48%) than in the group treated by surgery alone.
authors.affiliation: Service de radiothérapie et d'oncologie médicale, Centre hospitalier et universitaire de Brest, Hôpital Morvan, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Malhaire
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lozac'h
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Labat
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Topart
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Metges
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lamezec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil
vernacular_title: Radiochimiothérapie concomitante en split-course plus chirurgie contre chirurgie seule pour les carcinomes épidermoïdes de l'oesophage. Etude rétrospective non randomisée de 184 patients.