Clinical Outcomes and Prognosis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Obstruction

The prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with obstruction is unclear. This study aimed to analyze clinical outcomes and prognosis of patients with ESCC and obstruction.

Patients with advanced ESCC were included and divided into obstructive and non-obstructive groups. Clinical outcomes and survival according to treatment were compared between these groups.

Among 353 patients with advanced ESCC, obstruction was present in 105 (29.7%). ESCC with obstruction was more common in the upper thoracic location (23.8% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.036) and had a higher stage (7.6% vs. 32.7%, p < 0.001 in stage 2; 41.0% vs. 24.2%, p = 0.002 in stage 4) than those without obstruction. The median survival time of patients with obstruction was significantly shorter than that of patients without obstruction (7.6 months vs. 20.2 months, p < 0.001). Patients with obstruction had a significantly lower survival rate regardless of treatment. When surgery was performed first on patients with obstruction, the R0 resection rate was significantly lower (33.3% vs. 88.5%, p < 0.001). For patients with obstruction in resectable stages, surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy resulted in the best survival (HR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.15 - 1.49; p = 0.201). When only chemoradiotherapy was performed in resectable stages, clinically complete response rate was significantly lower (35.3% vs. 64.9%, p = 0.035) in the obstructive group.

ESCC with obstruction was at a more advanced stage and had a poor prognosis regardless of treatment. Surgery first or chemoradiotherapy alone is not recommended for these patients. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy prior to surgical resection is recommended for those with ESCC and obstruction at resectable stages.