Nonrandomized comparison between definitive chemoradiotherapy and radical surgery in patients with T(2-3)N(any) M(0) squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the treatment results between radical surgery and definitive chemoradiotherapy for resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and to identify useful clinicopathologic and biologic markers to select better treatment.


METHODS
Between August 1992 and April 1999, 98 consecutive patients were selected for this study; 53 were treated with chemoradiotherapy and 45 with surgery. The patients in the chemoradiotherapy group received 5-fluorouracil combined with cisplatin plus 60 Gy of radiation, and those in the surgery group received an esophagectomy with radical node dissection. Biologic markers were investigated immunohistochemically using pretreatment biopsy specimens.


RESULTS
The baseline clinical TNM stage was more advanced in the chemoradiotherapy group than in the surgery group. With a median follow-up period of 43 months, the 5-year survival rate was 46% in the chemoradiotherapy and 51% in the surgery group, without statistical significance (p = 0.47, log-rank test). Cox regression analysis for prognosis revealed that epidermal growth factor receptor positivity, high microvessel density, and cyclin D1 positivity yielded a low value for relative risk (0.66, 0.54, and 0.62, respectively), which favored chemoradiotherapy over surgery, without statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
This nonrandomized study showed a trend for the chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma, but the results need to be confirmed by additional study.
Hironaka
Shuichi
S
Division of Digestive Endoscopy and Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan. s.hironaka@scchr.jp
Ohtsu
Atsushi
A
Boku
Narikazu
N
Muto
Manabu
M
Nagashima
Fumio
F
Saito
Hiroki
H
Yoshida
Shigeaki
S
Nishimura
Mitsuyo
M
Haruno
Masatora
M
Ishikura
Satoshi
S
Ogino
Takashi
T
Yamamoto
Seiichiro
S
Ochiai
Atsushi
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004435:Eating; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil