title: Feasibility of involved-field conformal radiotherapy for cervical and upper-thoracic esophageal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of involved-field irradiation (IFI) for the treatment of cervical and upper-thoracic esophageal cancer with concurrent chemoradiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  102 eligible patients with cervical or upper-thoracic esophageal cancer were treated with concurrent chemoradiation and randomized to either an IFI or elective nodal irradiation (ENI) group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adverse events included infection (27.4 vs. 64.7%) and nausea (25.4 vs. 54.9%), with a statistically significant difference between the IFI and the ENI group (p = 0.008 and 0.028, respectively). No difference was seen for late radiation reaction. The cumulative incidence of local/regional failure (13.7 vs. 17.6%) and regional lymph failure (7.8 vs. 9.8%) showed no statistically significant difference between the IFI versus the ENI group (p = 0.837 and 0.837, respectively). A nodal out-field relapse rate of only 2% was seen in the IFI group. 3-year survival rates for the ENI and IFI group were 41.3 and 32.0%, respectively (p = 0.58), and 3-year local control rates were 85.7 and 80.1%, respectively (p = 0.34).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFI was acceptable for cervical and upper-thoracic esophageal cancer with a decrease in acute toxicities and no increase in lymph node failure.
authors: Department of Oncology, Shandong University, School of Medicine, PR China.
authors: Jin-Bo
authors: JB
authors: Ma
authors: Yi-Peng
authors: YP
authors: Song
authors: Jin-Ming
authors: JM
authors: Yu
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Zhou
authors: Er-Cheng
authors: EC
authors: Cheng
authors: Xi-Qin
authors: XQ
authors: Zhang
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015182:Lymphatic Irradiation / Q000401:mortality*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome