Treatment Outcomes of Chemoradiotherapy for Patients with Advanced Esophageal Cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the treatment outcomes of chemoradiotherapy for patients with advanced esophageal cancer and estimate the prognostic factors. Materials and methods: Patients with advanced esophageal cancer, who were treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) between April 2003 and December 2010, were evaluated. Patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil and 61.2 Gy radiotherapy). Therapeutic response, overall survival time, and toxicity were examined and statistical evaluation was performed. Results: One hundred and fourteen patients were treated with CRT. Among them, 84 patients (77.2%) received the complete course of CRT. Eighteen patients (15.8%) had a complete response, 90 patients (78.9%) had a partial response and 6 patients (5.3%) exhibited progressive disease. The mean follow-up period was 14.6 months (range, 2-90 months). The median overall survival time was 13.0 months. The 2-year and 3-year overall survival rates were 38.1% and 19.2%, respectively. Severe hematological toxicities included Grade 3 leukopenia in 40 patients (35.1%). Treatment-related death was estimated to have occurred in 7 patients. Performance status and body weight loss were identified as significant prognostic factors. Conclusion: In our study, PS and body weight loss showed prognostic factors in CRT for advanced esophageal cancer.