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A randomized study of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery versus surgery for localized squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus
Author(s) -
Prise Elisabeth Le,
Etienne Pierre L.,
Meunier Bernard,
Maddern Guy,
Hassel Mohamed Ben,
Gedouin Daniel,
Boutin Dominique,
Campion Jean P.,
Launois Bernard
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19940401)73:7<1779::aid-cncr2820730702>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - medicine , esophagus , surgery , radiation therapy , chemotherapy , randomized controlled trial , cancer , carcinoma , tracheoesophageal fistula
Background . Despite well‐established surgical approaches, the prognosis for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus remains dismal. To assess the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy (CRT), a randomized trial with and without sequential preoperative CRT was undertaken; CRT combined 20 Gy and two courses of 5‐FU and cisplatin. Methods . Patients were included on the basis of the following criteria: squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, younger than 70 years of age, World Health Organization status below 2, estimated survival time greater than 3 months, and no previous treatment for the cancer. Patients were not included if they had experienced a loss in body weight greater than 15% or had tracheoesophageal fistula, metastases, or uncontrollable infection. Results . Eighty‐six patients thus fulfilled the criteria for inclusion (41 CRT, 45 non‐CRT). The groups were well‐matched for age, sex, tumor location, size, and grade. Operative mortality was 8.5% and 7%, respectively, for each group with a 27‐day hospital stay for both groups. Long‐term survival was not significantly different, with 47% of both groups alive at 1 year. Conclusions . The authors concluded that this neoadjuvant treatment did not change operative mortality or survival time for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.