Abstract:
Objective To investigate the site of recurrence and overall survival (OS) in the patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with surgery or definitive chemoradiation therapy (CRT).
Methods We retrospectively reviewed the recurrence and survival time of the patients with primary esophageal squamous cancer. OS was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis to determine the independent prognostic factors was performed by the Cox regression model.
Results A total of 334 patients treated with surgery and 252 treated with definitive CRT were included in this analysis. A total of 129 (36 locoregional and 93 distant) and 118 (79 locoregional and 39 distant) patients experienced the recurrence in the surgery and CRT groups, respectively (χ2=37.75, P < 0.01). The median OS were 39.5 and 23.5 months in the surgery and CRT groups, respectively (P < 0.01).
Conclusion The sites of recurrence differ between surgery and CRT on the patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Surgery is associated with improved overall survival, compared with definitive CRT.