Efficacy and toxicities of concurrent chemoradiation for elderly patients with esophageal cancer
Uno, T.; Isobe, K.; Kawakami, H.; Ueno, N.; Kobayashi, H.; Shimada, H.; Mastubara, H.; Okazumi, S.; Nabeya, Y.; Shiratori, T.; Ochiai, T.; Kawata, T.; Ito, H.
Anticancer Research 24(4): 2483-2486
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0250-7005 PMID: 15330202 Document Number: 575460
Background: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of concurrent chemoradiation in patients with esophageal cancer aged 75 and older. Patients and Methods: Twenty-two elderly patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiation. Seventeen received a combination of cisplatin/carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil, 5 received daily 5-fluorouracil Total doses of radiotherapy ranged from 50 to 65 Gy. Results: Nineteen out of 22 patients completed the planned chemoradiation. Five in 8 patients (63%) with T1-2 lesion and 1 in 14 patients (7%) with T3-4 lesion achieved complete response (p=0.011). Only 2 patients experienced grade 3 toxicities. Grade 2 or worse hernatological toxicities were less frequently observed in patients who received local-field radiotherapy (p=0.006). There was no isolated lymph node recurrence. The median survival time was 9 months. Conclusion: This study showed the potential for chemoradiation in elderly patients. A planning target volume of radiotherapy should include only clinically involved lesions in this setting.