Recent advances in preoperative hyperthermochemoradiotherapy for patients with esophageal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Hyperthermochemoradiotherapy (HCR) has been performed on numerous patients with esophageal cancer. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the recent advances in HCR.


METHODS
From 1965 to 1997, 294 patients given preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CR) or HCR were classified according to the anticancer agent that was administered (CR; group A given bleomycin (BLM); group B given cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP), HCR; group C given BLM; and Group D given CDDP). The local response and the long-term results were investigated.


RESULTS
The cases in which CR or HCR was evaluated to be effective numbered 44 (48.4%) in group A, 22 (73.3%) in group B, 79 (63.7%) in group C, and 36 (73.5%) in group D. A significant difference was observed between groups A and B (P < 0.05). The highest incidence of markedly effective cases was observed in group D. The 5-year survival rates for the group A and B patients were 17.2% and 43.9%, respectively (P < 0.01), while the same rates for those of groups C and D were 25.6% and 57.8%, respectively (P < 0.05). Our results thus showed CDDP to have a greater effect than BLM, while HCR had a greater effect than CR.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative HCR has improved thanks to recent advances in anticancer agents.
Saeki
H
H
Department of Surgery II, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. hsaeki@med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Kawaguchi
H
H
Kitamura
K
K
Ohno
S
S
Sugimachi
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D001761:Bleomycin; D002945:Cisplatin