title: Clinical value of hematologic test in predicting tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the relationship between hematologic test results and the predictive effect of regression of esophageal cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), we analyzed pre-NACT hematologic data and their relationship to tumor regression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight consecutive patients with locally advanced squamous cell esophageal carcinoma who had undergone two cycles of paclitaxel/carboplatin NACT were enrolled. On the day prior to the first cycle of chemotherapy, hematologic tests, including routine blood test and biochemical examinations, were recorded. All patients were confirmed to have no history of hepatitis. Surgical resection was performed when clinical restaging showed effective regression. Histopathological examination was routinely performed to evaluate the postoperative effects of chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After two cycles of NACT, tumor imaging evaluation showed that 27 of the 38 patients had CR and PR, including 25 patients who underwent radical esophagectomies. Six patients had stable disease and five patients had progressive disease. According to the hematologic test results before NACT, patients with higher white blood cell counts, lymphocyte percentages, mononuclear cell counts, neutrophilic granulocyte counts, and eosinophilic granulocyte counts and lower alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level had a significantly greater opportunity for an effective response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Basal host immunologic function and hepatic function are associated with tumor response to NACT in patients with esophageal cancer. These parameters may have a certain predictive efficacy on NACT for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.forename: Yinan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Thoracic Surgery II, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, People's Republic of China. chengjinfeng123@163.com.
authors.forename: Jinfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ningsheng
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yuzhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lijian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel