Clinical impact of baseline renal function on the safety of radiotherapy with concurrent docetaxel for esophageal cancer in elderly patients.

Abstract

We aimed to compare the safety of radiotherapy with concurrent docetaxel (DOC-RT) for esophageal cancer (EC) in elderly patients who were divided into a creatinine clearance (Ccr) < 60mL/min (Ccr-L) group and a Ccr ≥ 60mL/min (Ccr-H) group. Eligible patients included those aged ≥ 76years who were diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The patients received radiotherapy (60Gy in 30 fractions) and concurrent docetaxel (10mg/m2 weekly for six cycles), after which toxicity and treatment completion rates were retrospectively evaluated. The 73 elderly EC patients receiving DOC-RT were divided into two groups for evaluation: the Ccr-L group (49 patients) and the Ccr-H group (24 patients). The median survival time for patients in the Ccr-L and Ccr-H groups was 21 and 20months, respectively (p = 0.2). The incidence of grade 1 acute kidney injury was 8% vs. 8% (p = 1) in the Ccr-L and Ccr-H groups, respectively. No other hematological or nonhematological toxicities differed between patients in the two groups. No grade 4 or 5 toxicities were observed in the two groups. No significant difference was observed in the treatment completion rates (88% vs. 92%, p = 1) between patients in the Ccr-L and Ccr-H groups. Regardless of baseline renal function, DOC-RT is a safe regimen for elderly patients with EC.