Purpose: The role of definitive chemo-radiotherapy in squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma has been established by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). We have studied a modification of the RTOG chemo-radiotherapy protocol in patients with any histologic type of oesophageal carcinoma. We planned oesophagectomy for patients with post-treatment positive endoscopic biopsy or <75% regression on CAT scan, or with resectable local recurrence. Study end-points were histologic response, toxicity, oesophagectomy and survival rates after primary chemo-radiotherapy.
Methods: Consecutive patients with any T or N status, M0, disease encompassable in radical radiotherapy ports, no prior surgical excision, and fit for chemo-radiotherapy, were eligible. Treatment plan was three cycles of cisplatin/5-fluorouracil chemotherapy and radical external radiation therapy (50 Gy in 25 fractions) starting with cycle 2. Selective oesophagectomy was performed in patients with post-treatment positive biopsy or <75% regression on CT scan, or with localized recurrence.
Results: From 1993-1996, 32 patients were treated. Post-treatment complete histologic response rate was 77% (95% confidence limits 58-90%). Grade 3 or 4 toxicities occurred in 31 and 3 patients, respectively. Minimum follow-up time was 12 months. Median disease-specific survival time was 16.1 months for all patients, and was not significantly different according to histologic type (17 squamous, 12 adenocarcinoma). Oesophagectomy was performed in six of 15 surviving and five of 17 deceased patients.
Conclusion: It is possible to cure oesophageal cancer with chemo-radiotherapy and selective oesophagectomy, and achieve organ preservation in the majority of long term survivors.