Chemotherapy-Induced Myelosuppression in Esophageal Cancer Patients: Risks and Suggestions for Its Management

The influential factors of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in esophageal cancer in central China are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of commonly used chemotherapy regimens on the incidence of myelosuppression in clinical treatment of esophageal cancer.

In this retrospective study, 624 patients with esophageal cancer who received six different chemotherapy regimens between 2013 and 2020 at our institute were included. Chemotherapy consisted of lobaplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-F), lobaplatin and 5-F, nedaplatin, nedaplatin and paclitaxel (PTX), cisplatin and PTX. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to explore the risk of myelosuppression among the six different chemotherapy regimens.

Compared with lobaplatin group, the incidence of myelosuppression in patients treated with chemotherapy regimens of lobaplatin and 5-F, nedaplatin, nedaplatin and PTX and cisplatin and PTX were significantly ameliorated. The dose of lobaplatin was significantly reduced (P=0.007) when lobaplatin was combined with 5-F, and the combination could significantly reduce the risk of myelosuppression (P=0.022). Furthermore, chemotherapeutic regimens, the dose of platinum, hemoglobin and uric acid levels, age, sex, total bilirubin and immune-enhancing drugs were found to be strong predictors of developing myelosuppression.

Targeted preventive interventions that enhance immune function, reduce uric acid levels and choose combined medication during chemotherapy should be implemented for high-risk patients to reduce the occurrence of myelosuppression. In addition, the dose of lobaplatin should be adjusted when combined with other chemotherapy drugs to reduce the incidence of myelosuppression.