Effect of chemoradiotherapy for neural invasion in an advanced esophageal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
For esophageal cancer, the incidence of lymphatic, local, and hematogenous recurrence is high, and prognosis is poor. This study examined utility of chemoradiotherapy for neural invasion, a risk factor for local recurrence, and a poor prognosis factor.


METHODS
Neural invasion was studied histochemically in 183 patients with resected advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, of T2 or greater depth of wall invasion.


RESULTS
Neural invasion positivity occurred in 78 of 183 (46.2%) patients, 11 of 21 (52.4%) of the preoperative radiotherapy alone group, and 5 of 22 (22.7%) in the preoperative chemoradiotherapy group (p<0.05). The local recurrence rate overall was 15.0% in the preoperative radiotherapy alone group compared to 5.9% in the chemoradiotherapy group.


CONCLUSIONS
Chemoradiotherapy is effective for neural invasion in comparison with radiotherapy alone.
Tanaka
Akira
A
Surgery, Sakai Hospital, School of Medicine, Kinki University, Sakai, Osaka 590-0132, Japan. atanaka@sakai.med.kindai.ac.jp
Ishikawa
Shinpei
S
Okuno
Kiyotaka
K
Shiozaki
Hitoshi
H
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004947:Esophagus / Q000294:innervation* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant