Long-term toxicity after definitive chemoradiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus.
Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2003 ; 21: 2697-702.
Ishikura S, Nihei K, Ohtsu A, Boku N, Hironaka S, Mera K, Muto M, Ogino T, Yoshida S
DOI : 10.1200/JCO.2003.03.055
PubMed ID : 12860946
PMCID :
URL : https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2003.03.055
Abstract
To assess the long-term toxicity after definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus.
Patients newly diagnosed with SCC of the esophagus and treated with definitive CRT between 1992 and 1999 in our institution were recruited from our database on the basis of the following criteria: age A total of 139 patients were recruited, and their characteristics were as follows: median age, 62 years (range, 38 to 75 years); 121 males and 18 females; 96 patients PS 0, 42 patients PS 1, and one patient PS 2; 15 patients T1, 11 patients T2, 60 patients T3, and 53 patients T4; and 101 patients M0, 38 patients M1a. With a median follow-up of 53 months, the median survival time and 5-year survival rate were 21 months and 29%, respectively. Of 78 patients with complete remission, two patients died as a result of acute myocardial infarction. Grade 2, 3, and 4 late toxicities occurred with the following incidences: pericarditis in eight patients, seven patients, and one patient, respectively; heart failure in zero, zero, and two patients; pleural effusion in seven, eight, and zero patients; and radiation pneumonitis in one patient, three patients, and zero patients, respectively.
Definitive CRT for SCC of the esophagus is effective with substantial toxicities. Additional investigation to minimize the normal tissue toxicities is warranted.