title: Is There a Correlation Between Clinical Complete Response and Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between clinical complete response (cCR) and pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 2001 and April 2013, a total of 158 patients with thoracic ESCC treated with neoadjuvant CRT followed by surgery were analyzed. Of these patients, 31 had stage IIb disease and 127 had stage III disease. All patients received concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy with conformal radiotherapy (40 Gy in 20 fractions, five fractions per week for 4 weeks).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 65 patients (41.1 %) achieved pCR. Of 44 patients (27.8 %) who achieved cCR after neoadjuvant CRT, 32 (72.7 %) also achieved pCR. On the other hand, only 33 (28.9 %) of 114 patients with non-cCR had pCR. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of cCR for predicting pCR was 87.1, 49.2, 71.1, and 72.7 %, respectively. The median follow-up period was 28.9 months, and overall survival (OS) for the entire group was 38.1 months. Patients who achieved cCR had significantly better 3-year OS than those with non-cCR (71.6 % vs. 46.9 %; p = 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that cCR after neoadjuvant CRT is significantly correlated with pCR and survival of patients with ESCC. Further studies are required to confirm the prognostic value of cCR after neoadjuvant CRT.
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. ximian@sysucc.org.cn.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. ximian@sysucc.org.cn.
authors.forename: Mian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Thoracic Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.|Imaging Diagnosis and Interventional Center, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Di
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Jia
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Li-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Meng-Zhong
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D005472:Fluorouracil