Multimodal approach for cervical esophageal carcinoma: role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy

To examine the outcome of patients with cervical esophageal cancer treated by a multimodal protocol.

We retrospectively analyzed the outcome and prognostic factors for 20 patients with cervical esophageal cancer who received multimodal treatment at the Kurume University Hospital between 2003 and 2009. One case of stage I, seven of stage II and 12 of stage III disease (2 T1, 3 T2, 4 T3, 11 T4 and 14 N1) were included. Radiotherapy was administered at a median dose of 60 Gy (range=30-70 Gy). The median follow-up time was 32 months for surviving patients (14-94 months). Platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was performed in 14 cases and all received chemoradiotherapy.

median survival was 20 months and overall survival rates at 1, 2, and 5-years were 70%, 60% and 30%, respectively. T-Category, length of the primary lesion, N-category, stage, hemoglobin levels and response to induction chemotherapy were statistically significant predisposing factors for overall survival rate. According to NAC response, 10 good responders (complete response or partial response) showed 2-year survival rates of 80% (5 survivors), whereas that for poor responder (stable disease and progressive disease) was 0% (p=0.006), respectively. Response to NAC was the only statistically significant predisposing factor for increased progression-free survival (p=0.03). Severe acute toxicities of grade 3 or more appeared in 5 patients; two grade 5 (esophageal perforations and lung fistula), one grade 4 (bilateral recurrent nerve palsy), and two grade three (pneumonitis and mucositis).

Although severe prognosis was identified for cervical esophageal cancer, good response to NAC indicates a good prognosis with organ preservation even for those with T4 tumor.