title: Definitive chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and cisplatin for elder patients with locally advanced squamous cell esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) or sequential chemoradiotherapy (SCRT) with capecitabine and cisplatin for elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 75 patients elder than 65 years with histologically proven stage II-III ESCC were enrolled, in whom 40 patients were treated with CCRT consisted of two cycles of intravenous cisplatin and oral capecitabine during and after radiotherapy and 35 patients were treated with SCRT as two cycles of capecitabine plus cisplatin before and after radiotherapy. Response rate, overall survival, progression-free survival and toxicity were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall response rate (CR + PR) in the CCRT group (91.6 %) was significantly higher than that in the SCRT group (67.7 %), P = 0.023. The median PFS and median OS were significantly higher in CCRT group (19.7 and 33.6 months) than those in SCRT group (11.6 and 15.7 months), P < 0.05. The acute toxic effect was more severe in the CCRT group than in the SCRT group, but the grade 3-4 acute toxicities were similar in two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It suggested that both CCRT and SCRT with capecitabine and cisplatin are tolerable and effective for elderly patients with locally advanced ESCC. Concurrent CRT might be superior to SCRT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Ligang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Yemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jiandong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Deguo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Fengjun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xinshuang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zhongmin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil