Low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score‐matched analysis

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the effect of different postoperative radiotherapy doses on the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods A total of 199 patients (aged 18–75 years) with locally advanced ESCC who underwent esophagectomy and posto...

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Main Authors: Qiwei Yao, Hongying Zheng, Shuyun Huang, Mingqiang Lin, Jun Yang, Jiancheng Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-06-01
Series:Precision Radiation Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/pro6.1192
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author Qiwei Yao
Hongying Zheng
Shuyun Huang
Mingqiang Lin
Jun Yang
Jiancheng Li
author_facet Qiwei Yao
Hongying Zheng
Shuyun Huang
Mingqiang Lin
Jun Yang
Jiancheng Li
author_sort Qiwei Yao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the effect of different postoperative radiotherapy doses on the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods A total of 199 patients (aged 18–75 years) with locally advanced ESCC who underwent esophagectomy and postoperative radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy at the Fujian Cancer Hospital between July 2008 and January 2018 were included. Based on the postoperative radiotherapy dose, the patients were divided into a low‐dose group (50–50.4 Gy; median dose 50 Gy) and a high‐dose group (>50.4 Gy; median dose 60 Gy). Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy regimens included PF (fluorouracil and cisplatin) and TP (paclitaxel and cisplatin) regimens. Patients were followed‐up every 3 months in the first 2 years after surgery, every 6 months for the next 3 years, and then subsequently once a year. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) rates. The propensity‐score matching (PSM) method was applied to identify a 1:1, well‐balanced matched cohort with 33 patients in each group for survival comparison. Results Among the 199 patients enrolled in this study, 144 and 55 were in the low‐dose and high‐dose groups, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that pathological N classification, vascular tumor emboli, and postoperative radiotherapy dose were independent prognostic factors for both OS and PFS, all p < 0.05. Before PSM, the OS and the PFS of the low‐dose group were significantly longer than those of the high‐dose group, both p < 0.05. After PSM, better OS and PFS rates were observed in the low‐dose group, both p < 0.05. The results showed that patients with pathological stages N0–2 or N3, negative surgical margins, and no vascular tumor emboli could obtain a significant benefit in both OS and PFS after treatment with a low dose of postoperative radiotherapy (50–50.4 Gy). In the subgroup with positive surgical margins, treatment with a low dose of postoperative radiotherapy offered a non‐significant survival benefit compared to treatment with a high dose of postoperative radiotherapy. Conclusions Our study revealed that for patients with ESCC, the low‐dose group (50–50.4 Gy) had a significantly higher OS and PFS than the high‐dose group (>50.4 Gy). It was suggested that 50–50.4 Gy might be the recommended postoperative radiotherapy dose for ESCC patients.
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spelling doaj.art-c2f9477ad700485d8bf29b8133d6a7702023-06-30T06:27:50ZengWileyPrecision Radiation Oncology2398-73242023-06-017210111010.1002/pro6.1192Low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score‐matched analysisQiwei Yao0Hongying Zheng1Shuyun Huang2Mingqiang Lin3Jun Yang4Jiancheng Li5Department of Radiation Oncology Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University Fujian Cancer Hospital Fuzhou ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University Fujian Cancer Hospital Fuzhou ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University Fujian Cancer Hospital Fuzhou ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University Fujian Cancer Hospital Fuzhou ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University Fujian Cancer Hospital Fuzhou ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University Fujian Cancer Hospital Fuzhou ChinaAbstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the effect of different postoperative radiotherapy doses on the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods A total of 199 patients (aged 18–75 years) with locally advanced ESCC who underwent esophagectomy and postoperative radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy at the Fujian Cancer Hospital between July 2008 and January 2018 were included. Based on the postoperative radiotherapy dose, the patients were divided into a low‐dose group (50–50.4 Gy; median dose 50 Gy) and a high‐dose group (>50.4 Gy; median dose 60 Gy). Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy regimens included PF (fluorouracil and cisplatin) and TP (paclitaxel and cisplatin) regimens. Patients were followed‐up every 3 months in the first 2 years after surgery, every 6 months for the next 3 years, and then subsequently once a year. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) rates. The propensity‐score matching (PSM) method was applied to identify a 1:1, well‐balanced matched cohort with 33 patients in each group for survival comparison. Results Among the 199 patients enrolled in this study, 144 and 55 were in the low‐dose and high‐dose groups, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that pathological N classification, vascular tumor emboli, and postoperative radiotherapy dose were independent prognostic factors for both OS and PFS, all p < 0.05. Before PSM, the OS and the PFS of the low‐dose group were significantly longer than those of the high‐dose group, both p < 0.05. After PSM, better OS and PFS rates were observed in the low‐dose group, both p < 0.05. The results showed that patients with pathological stages N0–2 or N3, negative surgical margins, and no vascular tumor emboli could obtain a significant benefit in both OS and PFS after treatment with a low dose of postoperative radiotherapy (50–50.4 Gy). In the subgroup with positive surgical margins, treatment with a low dose of postoperative radiotherapy offered a non‐significant survival benefit compared to treatment with a high dose of postoperative radiotherapy. Conclusions Our study revealed that for patients with ESCC, the low‐dose group (50–50.4 Gy) had a significantly higher OS and PFS than the high‐dose group (>50.4 Gy). It was suggested that 50–50.4 Gy might be the recommended postoperative radiotherapy dose for ESCC patients.https://doi.org/10.1002/pro6.1192esophageal squamous cell carcinomapostoperative radiotherapypropensity score matchingradiation dose
spellingShingle Qiwei Yao
Hongying Zheng
Shuyun Huang
Mingqiang Lin
Jun Yang
Jiancheng Li
Low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score‐matched analysis
Precision Radiation Oncology
esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
postoperative radiotherapy
propensity score matching
radiation dose
title Low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score‐matched analysis
title_full Low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score‐matched analysis
title_fullStr Low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score‐matched analysis
title_full_unstemmed Low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score‐matched analysis
title_short Low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score‐matched analysis
title_sort low versus high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma a propensity score matched analysis
topic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
postoperative radiotherapy
propensity score matching
radiation dose
url https://doi.org/10.1002/pro6.1192
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