title: The Comparison of the Advantages of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy versus Postoperative Chemoradiotherapy: Outcomes in Esophageal Cancer Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common type of cancer worldwide. For the treatment of which, surgical intervention alone or with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy is recommended. In this study, we aimed to compare the benefits of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy versus postoperative chemoradiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected data regarding 325 patients admitted for esophageal cancer to Qaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, during 2006-2016. The participants were divided into two groups of neoadjuvant and postoperative adjuvant therapies. Chi-square, McNemar, Kaplan-Mayer, and multivariate regression tests were performed using SPSS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gender, age, stage of the disease, tumor grade and location, disease histopathology, and the recurrence showed no significant differences between the two groups (P ˃ 0.05), but there was a significant association between the two types of treatment in terms of postoperative complications (P = 0.03). We followed up 147 patients postoperatively and found no significant differences between the groups (P ˃ 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No conclusion can be drawn on whether there are any advantages in adjuvant chemoradiotherapy over neoadjuvant approaches. Further confirmatory trials, particularly randomized trials, are necessary before any recommendations can be made.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery & Transplant Research Center, Emam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadrizadeh
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery & Transplant Research Center, Emam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bagheri
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Acute Care Surgery Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Taleghani University Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Soltanie@mums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soltani
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, Omid Hospital, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anvari
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, Omid Hospital, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi Seilanian
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Toussi
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moadikhah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adjuvant; Chemoradiation; Esophageal cancer; Neoadjuvant