title: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with elective lymph node irradiation for esophageal cancer: a systemic review and pooled analysis of the literature.
abstract: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has been accepted as the standard non-surgical treatment for esophageal cancer. However, no consistent conclusions have been reached whether elective lymph node irradiation (ENI) should be delivered. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and pooled analysis to evaluate the value of CCRT with ENI. A literature search based on PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar was carried out and all of the studies were evaluated carefully regarding with survival outcomes, response rates, patterns of failure rates and acute/late toxicities. Twenty-two studies were identified based on the criteria: median overall survival time was 21.0 months; pooled response rates were 56.8% (CR) and 85.8% (CR+PR), respectively; residual disease rate, local-regional recurrence rate, distant failure rate and both (local-regional recurrence plus distant failure) rate was 28%, 21%, 11%, and 7%, respectively; hematologic toxicities were the most sever acute toxicities and esophagus-related toxicity was the most common radiation-related toxicity both in acute (15.7%) and late (6.2%) phase. In conclusion, ENI is feasible with acceptable toxicities in esophageal carcinoma and the efficacy should be verified in randomized trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Lishui's Central Hospital, Lishui , Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Dexi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Shixiu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: concurrent chemoradiotherapy; elective lymph node irradiation; esophageal cancer; treatment