Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Journal of Cancer logoLink to British Journal of Cancer
. 2001 Nov;85(11):1671–1674. doi: 10.1054/bjoc.2001.2153

Factors affecting the survival of patients with oesophageal carcinoma under radiotherapy in the north of Iran

K O Hajian-Tilaki 1
PMCID: PMC2363975  PMID: 11742486

Abstract

Factors relevant to the survival of patients with oesophageal cancer under radiotherapy have been studied in northern Iran where its incidence is high. We conducted an analytical study using a historical cohort and information from the medical charts of patients with oesophageal cancer. Out of 523 patients referred to the Shahid Rajaii radiotherapy centre in Babolsar from 1992 to 1996, we followed 230 patients for whom an address was available in 1998. The frequency of prognostic factors among those not contacted was very similar to those included in the study. The data were analysed using survival analysis by the nonparametric method of Kaplan Meier and the Cox regression model to determine risk ratios (RR) of prognostic factors. Survival rates were 42% at 1 year, 21% at 2 years, and 8% at 5 years after diagnosis. Patients aged 50–64 were found to have poorer survival compared with those less than 50 (RR = 1.73, P = 0.03); the risk ratio for ages f = 65 was 1.88 (P = 0.03). Females had significantly better survival than males (RR = 0.71, P = 0.02). For each 100 rads dose of radiotherapy, the risk ratio was significantly decreased by 1% (RR = 0.99, P = 0.05); for each session of radiotherapy, the risk ratio was significantly decreased by 4% (RR = 0.96, P = 0.0001); for each square centimetre size of surface under radiotherapy, the risk ratio significantly increased (RR = 1.002, P = 0.04). We did not observe a significant difference on survival by histology, anatomical location of tumours, or type of treatment (P > 0.05). Prognosis is extremely poor. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com

Keywords: oesophageal cancer, survival rate, prognostic factors, radiotherapy

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (56.7 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Araújo C. M., Souhami L., Gil R. A., Carvalho R., Garcia J. A., Froimtchuk M. J., Pinto L. H., Canary P. C. A randomized trial comparing radiation therapy versus concomitant radiation therapy and chemotherapy in carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. Cancer. 1991 May 1;67(9):2258–2261. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19910501)67:9<2258::aid-cncr2820670908>3.0.co;2-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bluett M. K., Sawyers J. L., Healy D. Esophageal carcinoma. Improved quality of survival with resection. Am Surg. 1987 Mar;53(3):126–132. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cederqvist C., Nielsen J., Berthelsen A., Hansen H. S. Cancer of the oesophagus. I. 1002 cases. Survey and survival. Acta Chir Scand. 1978;144(4):227–231. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chen D., Yang Z., Gu X. [Radiation therapy of esophageal carcinoma: a report on 180 cases]. Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi. 1996 May;18(3):195–198. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Daly J. M., Karnell L. H., Menck H. R. National Cancer Data Base report on esophageal carcinoma. Cancer. 1996 Oct 15;78(8):1820–1828. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19961015)78:8<1820::aid-cncr25>3.0.co;2-z. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Earlam R., Cunha-Melo J. R. Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: I. A critical review of surgery. Br J Surg. 1980 Jun;67(6):381–390. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800670602. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Earlam R., Cunha-Melo J. R. Oesophogeal squamous cell carcinoms: II. A critical view of radiotherapy. Br J Surg. 1980 Jul;67(7):457–461. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800670702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Forastiere A. A., Heitmiller R. F., Lee D. J., Zahurak M., Abrams R., Kleinberg L., Watkins S., Yeo C. J., Lillemoe K. D., Sitzmann J. V. Intensive chemoradiation followed by esophagectomy for squamous cell and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Cancer J Sci Am. 1997 May-Jun;3(3):144–152. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gaspar L. E., Qian C., Kocha W. I., Coia L. R., Herskovic A., Graham M. A phase I/II study of external beam radiation, brachytherapy and concurrent chemotherapy in localized cancer of the esophagus (RTOG 92-07): preliminary toxicity report. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1997 Feb 1;37(3):593–599. doi: 10.1016/s0360-3016(96)00591-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Giuli R., Gignoux M. Treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus. Retrospective study of 2,400 patients. Ann Surg. 1980 Jul;192(1):44–52. doi: 10.1097/00000658-198007000-00008. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Iizuka T., Ide H., Kakegawa T., Sasaki K., Takagi I., Ando N., Mori S., Arimori M., Tsugane S. Preoperative radioactive therapy for esophageal carcinoma. Randomized evaluation trial in eight institutions. Chest. 1988 May;93(5):1054–1058. doi: 10.1378/chest.93.5.1054. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Jeremic B., Shibamoto Y., Acimovic L., Matovic Z., Milicic B., Milisavljevic S., Nikolic N. Accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy and concurrent 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin chemotherapy for locoregional squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus: a phase II study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1998 Mar 15;40(5):1061–1066. doi: 10.1016/s0360-3016(97)00950-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kinoshita Y., Endo M., Nakayama K., Sato H., Sato H. Clinical evaluation of ten-year survival cases after operation for upper and mid-thoracic esophageal cancer. Int Surg. 1982 Apr-Jun;67(2):153–161. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kolh P., Honore P., Gielen J. L., Degauque C., Azzam C., Legrand M., Jacquet N. Analysis of factors influencing long-term survival after surgical resection for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Acta Chir Belg. 1999 May-Jun;99(3):113–118. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lund O., Hasenkam J. M., Aagaard M. T., Kimose H. H. Time-related changes in characteristics of prognostic significance in carcinomas of the oesophagus and cardia. Br J Surg. 1989 Dec;76(12):1301–1307. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800761227. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Malhaire J. P., Lozac'h P., Simon H., Labat J. P., Topart P., Lucas B., Metges J. P., Lamezec B. Radiochimiothérapie concomitante en split-course plus chirurgie contre chirurgie seule pour les carcinomes épidermoïdes de l'oesophage. Etude rétrospective non randomisée de 184 patients. Bull Cancer. 1997 Apr;84(4):357–367. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Müller J. M., Erasmi H., Stelzner M., Zieren U., Pichlmaier H. Surgical therapy of oesophageal carcinoma. Br J Surg. 1990 Aug;77(8):845–857. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800770804. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Nicks R., Green D., McClatchie G. A clinico-pathological study of some factors influencing survival in cancer of the oesophagus: a survey of ten years' experience. Aust N Z J Surg. 1973 Jul;43(1):3–13. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1973.tb05660.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Oliver S. E., Robertson C. S., Logan R. F. Oesophageal cancer: a population-based study of survival after treatment. Br J Surg. 1992 Dec;79(12):1321–1325. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800791226. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Parker E. F., Gregorie H. B. Carcinoma of the esophagus. Long-term results. JAMA. 1976 Mar 8;235(10):1018–1020. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Petrequin P., Huguier M., Lacaine F., Houry S. Cancers de l'oesophage réséqués: modèle prédictif de survie. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 1997;21(1):12–16. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Schattenkerk M. E., Obertop H., Mud H. J., Eijkenboom W. M., van Andel J. G., van Houten H. Survival after resection for carcinoma of the oesophagus. Br J Surg. 1987 Mar;74(3):165–168. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800740305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Shimada Y., Imamura M., Watanabe G., Uchida S., Harada H., Makino T., Kano M. Prognostic factors of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma from the perspective of molecular biology. Br J Cancer. 1999 Jun;80(8):1281–1288. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6990499. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Slevin N. J., Stout R. Carcinoma of the oesophagus--a review of 108 cases treated by radical radiotherapy. Clin Radiol. 1989 Mar;40(2):200–203. doi: 10.1016/s0009-9260(89)80097-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sugimachi K., Inokuchi K., Kuwano H., Kai H., Okamura T., Okudaira Y. Patterns of recurrence after curative resection for carcinoma of the thoracic part of the esophagus. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1983 Dec;157(6):537–540. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Sugimachi K., Matsuura H., Kai H., Kanematsu T., Inokuchi K., Jingu K. Prognostic factors of esophageal carcinoma: univariate and multivariate analyses. J Surg Oncol. 1986 Feb;31(2):108–112. doi: 10.1002/jso.2930310207. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. van Andel J. G., Dees J., Dijkhuis C. M., Fokkens W., van Houten H., de Jong P. C., van Woerkom-Eykenboom W. M. Carcinoma of the esophagus: results of treatment. Ann Surg. 1979 Dec;190(6):684–689. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197912000-00002. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Cancer are provided here courtesy of Cancer Research UK

RESOURCES