Yu Men, Zhouguang Hui, Jun Liang, Qinfu Feng, Dongfu Chen, Hongxing Zhang, Zefen Xiao, Zongmei Zhou, Luhua Wang

Radiation Oncology, Cancer Institute & Hospital

Objective:To analyze the outcome, as well as the prognostic factors in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients who received the IMRT-based neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. Method: Between Jan. 2009 to Jan. 2015, patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received IMRT-based neoajuvant chemoradiotherapy were retrospectively collected. The survivals were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Univariate analysis were used to evaluate potential prognostic factors. Result: Sixty-two patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 27 months. The disease was pre-treatment stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ in 14 and 48 patients, respectively. Twenty (32.2%) patients achieved pCR and 90.3% got down-staging. The R0 rate was 96.8%. Grade Ⅲ marrow suppression and esophagitis were seen in 8 (12.9%) and 2 (3.2%) patients, respectively. The postoperative mortality rate was 4.8%, and 11 patients (17.7%) experienced postoperative adverse events. The 1-, 3- and 5-year OS was 88.0%, 63.3%and 44.2%, respectively, with a corresponding DFS of 68.1%, 54.8%, and 43.9%, respectively. On univariate analysis, pre-treatment stage Ⅱ,down-staging, good response to neoajuvant chemoradiotherapy, pN0 were favorable prognostic factors. Conclusion: For thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery can receive satisfied survivals. Additionally, there were no increased postoperative complications. Pre-treatment stage, whether or not down-staging, response to therapy and pN were prognostic factors.

Key Words: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma  Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy