20 TREATMENT OPTIMIZATION AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN ADVANCED ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

Abstract

Abstract Esophageal cancer is a disease with high mortality due to advanced stage at the time of diagnosis in patients with poor general condition and/or multiple comorbidities which makes them unsuitable for radical treatment. The goal of this clinical trial is finding optimal treatment for this group of patients. Methods Hypothesis of this clinical trial is that sequential use of high dose rate intraluminal brachytherapy, external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy decreases symptoms of disease, improves quality of life and prolongs overall survival in patients with esophageal cancer that are not candidates for radical treatment. We have included patients with esophageal cancer that are not candidates for radical treatment. Statistical analysis was done only for the patients that have completed planned treatment and not for the intent to treat population. Therefore, statistical analysis was done for 39 patients, 22 in control group and 17 in interventional group. Results In a survival analysis adapted for AJCC stage of the disease, addition of sequential chemotherapy improves overall survival statistically significant (P = 0.004). Sequential use of high dose rate intraluminal brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy decreases the degree of: dysphagia (P = 0.001), odynophagia (P = 0.002) and regurgitation (P = 0.008) statistically significant. Decrease of a pain degree is statistically significant only with the use of sequential chemotherapy (P = 0.031). Sequential use of chemotherapy does not improve control over dysphagia (P = 0.872), odynophagia (P = 0.872) and regurgitation (P = 0.872) any further. Patients of female gender have greater improvement of regurgitation score (P = 0.068), pain score (P = 0.09) and quality of life (P = 0.019). Conclusion Sequential use of high dose rate intraluminal brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy provides a safe use of high radiotherapy doses with minimal exposure of organs at risk, according to dose-volume histogram analysis. Sequential use of chemotherapy, after high dose rate intraluminal brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy, improves overall survival in patients with esophageal cancer that are not candidates for radical treatment, in comparison to patients who do not receive chemotherapy (P = 0.09).