Analysis of the long-term prognosis of patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer treated with simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radical radiotherapy / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effects of simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radical radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT) on the long-term prognosis of patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer.Methods:From January 2011 to December 2014, a retrospective analysis was performed in 172 patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer who were eligible for IMRT. First, the prognosis of all the patients was evaluated using single factor and multivariate analyses. According to the different irradiation method of the patients, the patients were divided into two groups, one of which received conventional IMRT (C-IMRT) and the other of which received SIB-IMRT. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was applied to match the two groups of patients and to determine the treatment efficacy of patients after PSM, prognostic factors, failure modes, and side effects. SPSS19.0 statistical software was used to conduct statistical analysis.Results:The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) times of all the patients were 30 months and 20 months, respectively. The fact whether the surrounding tissues and organs of esophageal lesions were invaded, clinical node staging (cN staging), chemotherapy, and GTV-maximum transverse diameter were observed to be independent influencing factors of OS and PFS in all the patients ( P<0.001, P=0.013, 0.005, 0.002; P<0.001, P=0.017, 0.034, 0.002). In addition, the independent influencing factors of PFS showed short-term efficacy ( P=0.036). After PSM, there were 54 patients in each of the two groups. The result of multivariate analysis showed that the fact whether the surrounding tissues and organs of esophageal lesions were invaded, cN staging, cTNM staging, prescribed dose, GTV-maximum transverse diameter, and irradiation method were independent factors affecting the OS ( P<0.001, P=0.008, 0.014, 0.021, 0.010, 0.008). Similarly, the fact whether the surrounding tissues and organs of esophageal lesions were invaded, cN staging, and GTV-maximum transverse diameter were observed to be independent factors that affect the PFS of patients ( P<0.001, P=0.044, 0.013). The difference in the total failure rate (70.4% vs. 50.0%) and the local regional recurrence rate (61.1% vs. 31.5%) between the C-IMRT and SIB-IMRT groups after treatment was significant ( χ2=4.68, 9.53, P=0.031, 0.002). The incidence of radiation pneumonitis of grade ≥ 1 in the C-IMRT group was significantly higher than that of the SIB-IMRT group ( χ2=6.16, P=0.046), whereas the leukocyte suppression of grade ≥ 2 in the C-IMRT group was significantly lower than that in the SIB-IMRT group ( χ2=12.77, P=0.005). Conclusions:As shown by the result of this study, compared with C-IMRT, SIB-IMRT can improve the OS of patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer to a certain extent. Whether SIB-IMRT can improve the PFS of patients requires further research.

Colon Interposition after Radical Total Pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy in a Patient with Subtotal Gastrectomy

The principle treatment for cervical esophageal cancer and hypopharyngeal cancer with esophageal invasion is radical total pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy (PLE), and it is necessary to totally reconstruct the defect of the resected organ. Stomach, small bowel, colon, a laryngotracheal flap and a pectoralis major musculocutaneous flap can all be used. We commonly use stomach because stomach has a rich blood supply and a low incidence of leakage. But in this present reported case, because previous radical subtotal gastrectomy with gastrojejunostomy had been done, we had to use colon for reconstruction. We use the left colon and left colic artery, and there were no complications. We report here on using the left colon and left colic artery to reconstruct a PLE defect for the first time in Korea.

Use of the Stomach as an Esophageal Substitute after Total Pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy for Treating Cervical Esophageal Cancer or Hypopharyngeal Cancer

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the post operative outcome of reconstruction with using the stomach after performing total pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer or cervical esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 23 patients who underwent gastric pull up for esophageal substitution at the Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, between January 1991 and December 2006. All the patients had transhiatal esophagectomy performed without thoracotomy. RESULTS: There were seventeen males and six females with a median age of 58.1 years (range: 40-70 years). 19 cases were hypopharyngeal cancer, 13 cases had cancer in the pyriform sinus, 15 cases had cancer in the postcricoid area and one case had cancer in the glottic area. The rest were cervical esophageal cancers. The pathologic result was squamous cell carcinoma in all cases. The median total follow-up period was 33 months (range: 1-62 months) and there were two (8.6%) postoperative deaths: one was due to carotid rupture and the other was due to hepatic failure with liver metastasis. The complications were leakage in 1 patient (4.4%), pneumothorax in 1 patient (4.4%) and pneumonia in 1 patient (4.4%). CONCLUSION: The use of stomach for esophageal reconstruction has many benefits for treating hypopharyngeal cancer or cervical esophageal cancer, So, we made sure there was a sufficient length for the anastomosis after pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy and a rich blood supply from the stomach. There was a low incidence of the leakage at the anastomotic site, along with a low incidence of stenosis and bleeding.

A Case of Carcinoma of the Thyroid and Cervical Esophagus Following Irradiation / 대한소화기학회지

It is well recognized that radiation can be carcinogenic for a wide variety of tumors, especially, in breast, thyroid, and bone marrow which appear to be radiosensitive. The criteria for establishing the dignosis of radiation- induced malignancy are the knowledge of prior irradiation and the appearance of a malignancy in the irradiated area. We report a case of carcinoma of the thyroid and esophagus following prior neck irradiation for thyroid mass.