Impact of Age on Surgical Outcomes for Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer

[Tailored surgery in the treatment of gastroesophageal cancer]

The surgical options and particularly perioperative treatment, have significantly advanced in the case of gastroesophageal cancer. This progress enables a 5-year survival rate of nearly 50% to be achieved through curative multimodal treatment concepts for locally advanced cancer. Therefore, in tumor boards and surgical case discussions the question increasingly arises regarding the type of treatment that provides optimal oncological and functional outcomes for individual patients with pre-existing diseases. It is therefore essential to carefully assess whether organ-preserving treatment might also be considered in the future or in what way minimally invasive or robotic surgery can offer advantages. Simultaneously, the boundaries of surgical and oncological treatment are currently being shifted in order to enable curative forms of treatment for patients with pre-existing conditions or those with oligometastatic diseases. With the integration of artificial intelligence into decision-making processes, new possibilities for information processing are increasingly becoming available to incorporate even more data into making decisions in the future.

The prognostic impact of tumor length on pathological stage IA-IC esophageal adenocarcinoma

This study was completed to evaluate the relationship between tumor length and the prognosis of patients with pathological stage IA-IC esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Patients were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database (United States, 2006-2015). X-tile software and ROC analysis were mainly used to explore the best threshold of tumor length for dividing patients into different groups, and then propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance other variables between groups. The primary outcome assessed was overall survival (OS). A total of 762 patients were identified, and 500 patients were left after PSM. Twenty millimeters were used as the threshold of tumor length. Patients with longer tumor lengths showed worse OS (median: 93 vs. 128 months; P = 0.006). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that longer tumor length was an independent risk factor (hazard ratio 1.512, 95% confidence interval, 1.158-1.974, P = 0.002). Tumor length has an impact on patients with pathological stage IA-IC EAC who undergo surgery alone. The prognostic value of the pathological stage group may be improved after combining it with tumor length and age.

Emergency tracheal intubation peri-operative risk factors and prognostic impact after esophagectomy

BACKGROUND

Emergent endotracheal intubation (ETI) is a serious complication after Oesophagectomy. It is still unclear that perioperative risk factors and prognosis of these patients with ETI.

METHODS

Between January 2015 and December 2018, 21 patients who received ETI after esophagectomy were enrolled (ETI group) at the department of thoracic surgery, Fujian Union hospital, China. Each study subject matched one patient who underwent the same surgery in the current era were included (control group). Patient characteristics and perioperative factors were collected.

RESULTS

Patients with ETI were older than those without ETI (p = 0.022). The patients with history of smoking in ETI group were significantly more than those in control group (p = 0.013). The stay-time of postanesthesia care unit (PACU) in ETI group was significantly longer than that in control group (p = 0.001). The incidence of anastomotic leak or electrolyte disorder in ETI group was also higher than that in control group (p = 0.014; p = 0.002). Logistic regression analysis indicated history of smoke (HR 6.43, 95%CI 1.39-29.76, p = 0.017) and longer stay time of PACU (HR 1.04, 95%CI 1.01-1.83, p = 0.020) both were independently associated with higher risks of ETI. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 47.6% in patients with ETI and 85.7% in patients without ETI (HR 4.72, 95%CI 1.31-17.00, p = 0.018). COX regression analysis indicated ETI was an independent risk factor affecting the OS.

CONCLUSION

The study indicated that history of smoking and longer stay-time in PACU both were independently associated with higher risks of ETI; and ETI was an independent risk factor affecting the OS of patients after esophagectomy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial was retrospectively registered with the registration number of ChiCTR2000038549.

Gross Tumor Volume Predicts Survival and Pathological Complete Response of Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy

Background

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neo-CRT) plus surgery has greatly improved the prognosis of locally advanced esophageal cancer (EC) patients. But which factors may influence the pathological tumor response and long-term survival remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the prognostic biomarkers of locally advanced EC patients receiving neo-CRT.

Methods

We reviewed the data of 72 patients with cT2-4N0-3M0 EC who underwent neo-CRT at our hospital. The patients received intensity-modulated radiation therapy with a total radiation dose of 41.4–60.0 Gy. Most patients received platinum + paclitaxel-based combination regimens every three weeks for 2–4 cycles. The recorded data included age, sex, smoking history, alcohol use, histology, tumor location, clinical TNM stage, tumor length, gross tumor volume (GTV), GTV of primary tumor (GTVp), GTV of lymph nodes (GTVn), radiation dose, and number of chemotherapy cycles. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and pathological complete response (pCR) were analyzed.

Results

The 3-year OS and PFS rates of these patients who underwent neo-CRT were 51.14% and 43.28%, respectively. In the univariate analyses, smoking history, clinical stage, GTV, GTVp, and GTVn were significantly associated with OS, whereas alcohol use, GTV, GTVp, and GTVn were significantly associated with PFS. Furthermore, in the multivariate analysis, GTV was an independent prognostic predictor of OS (hazard ratio (HR): 14.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.747–53.33, P < 0.0001) and PFS (HR: 6.090, 95% CI: 2.398–15.47, P < 0.0001). In addition, GTV < 60.50 cm³ compared to > 60.50 cm³ was significantly associated with higher pCR rate (59.3% and 27.8%, respectively, P = 0.038). High dose (> 50 Gy) and increased number of chemotherapy cycles (≥ 3) didn’t improve the OS or PFS in patients with GTV > 60.50 cm³.

Conclusion

GTV was an independent prognostic factor of long-term survival in EC patients, which may be because GTV is associated with histological response to neo-CRT. Additionally, patients with GTV > 60.50 cm³ didn’t benefit from increased radiation dose or increased number of chemotherapy cycles.

Long-term Outcomes Following Esophagectomy in Older and Younger Adults with Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Patterns of overall and disease-free survival after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in older adults have not been carefully studied.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of all patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy from 2005 to 2020 at our institution was performed. Differences in outcomes were stratified by age groups, < 75 and ≥ 75 years old, and two time periods, 2005-2012 and 2013-2020.

RESULTS

A total of 1135 patients were included: 979 (86.3%) patients were < 75 (86.3%), and 156 (13.7%) were ≥ 75 years old. Younger patients had fewer comorbidities, better nutritional status, and were more likely to receive neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy (all p < 0.05). However, tumor stage and operative approach were similar, except for increased performance of the McKeown technique in younger patients (p = 0.02). Perioperatively, younger patients experienced fewer overall and grade II complications (both p < 0.05). They had better overall survival (log-rank p-value < 0.001) and median survival, 62.2 vs. 21.5 months (p < 0.05). When stratified by pathologic stage, survival was similar for yp0 and pathologic stage II disease (both log-rank p-value > 0.05). Multivariable Cox models showed older age (≥ 75 years old) had increased hazard for reduced overall survival (HR 2.04 95% CI 1.5-2.8; p < 0.001) but not disease-free survival (HR 1.1 95% CI 0.78-1.6; p = 0.54). Over time, baseline characteristics remained largely similar, while stage became more advanced with a rise in neoadjuvant use and increased performance of minimally invasive esophagectomy (all p < 0.05). While overall complication rates improved (p < 0.05), overall and recurrence-free survival did not. Overall survival was better in younger patients during both time periods (both log-rank p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite similar disease-free survival rates, long-term survival was decreased in older adults as compared to younger patients. This may be related to unmeasured factors including frailty, long-term complications after surgery, and competing causes of death. However, our results suggest that survival is similar in those with complete pathologic responses.

Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Elderly Patients With Potentially Curable Esophageal Cancer

Objectives

The proportion of elderly patients with esophageal cancer (EC) is increasing due to prolonged life expectancy and aging process. The aim of the study is to explore the optimal treatment strategy for elderly patients (aged ≥70 years) with locally advanced EC.

Methods

Eligible patients with cT2-4aNxM0 EC were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2010 to 2016. Treatment patterns were divided into six groups: surgical resection (S), chemoradiotherapy (CRT), trimodality therapy (CRT+S), radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy (CT), or observation with no treatment (Obs). Survival between groups was compared using the log-rank test, and the Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify factors associated with overall survival (OS).

Results

A total of 2917 patients with potentially curable EC were identified. Of all the patients included, 6.7%, 51.8%, 18.0%, 9.4% and 3.6%received S, CRT, CRT+S, RT, and CT, respectively, whereas 10.6% underwent Obs. The 3-year OS estimates were 30.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23.5–38.9%), 25.4% (95% CI: 22.8–28.3%),44.3% (95% CI: 39.3–49.9%), 11.4% (95% CI: 7.7–17.0%), 16.1% (95% CI: 9.1–28.3%), and 5.6% (95% CI: 3.2–9.8%) for S, CRT, CRT+S RT, CT, and Obs (p<0.001), respectively. Overall, patents underwent CRT+S had the longest OS, compared to other treatment patterns, and the survival difference was not significant between patients receiving CRT and S (p=0.12) in the elderly population. However, the survival benefits of trimodality therapy over CRT gradually weakened with the increase in age, and became statistically non-significant for EC patients aged ≥80 years (p=0.35). Multivariate analysis showed that treatment patterns, age, sex, tumor grade, T stage, N stage, and marital status were significantly associated with OS.

Conclusion

Generally, the use of trimodality therapy was associated with the longest OS, the survival benefits were comparable between CRT and S alone, and CRT was superior to RT or CT alone in elderly patients with curable EC. For patients intolerable to surgery or aged ≥80 years, definitive CRT should be considered as a preferable option.

Distinguishing optimal esophagectomy candidates in elderly patients: A nomogram based on propensity score matching

BACKGROUND

A survival benefit from esophagectomy was observed in elderly patients. But it's unclear how to identify specific patients who can benefit. Thus, we aimed to establish a predictive model to identify optimal candidates for esophagectomy.

METHODS

Patients (age ≥75 years) with esophageal cancer in Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database were used to establish the predictive model. Propensity-score matching (PSM) was applied to eliminate the imbalance between esophagectomy group and non-esophagectomy group. We hypothesized that elderly patients could benefit from esophagectomy with longer cancer specific survival (CSS) time than those who did not receive esophagectomy. Patients received surgery were divided into beneficial group and non-beneficial group according to the median CSS time of non-esophagectomy group. Prognostic factors affecting patients' long-term survival were identified. Among esophagectomy group, a logistic regression model based on these factors was established to build a nomogram.

RESULTS

A total of 7,025 eligible patients were extracted from the SEER database, with 831 patients received esophagectomy. Surgery was independently associated with better long-term survival (median CSS time in the matched population: 35 vs. 8 months, p < 0.001). As a result, 361 (68.6%) patients were divided into beneficial group (CSS >8 months). Factors including age, tumor site, histology, differentiation grade, TNM stage, and tumor size were used to formulate the nomogram, which was named as esophagectomy candidates screening score (ECSS). The validation from two aspects showed the model a useful and stable one.

CONCLUSION

A predictive model was established to distinguish optimal candidates for esophagectomy among elderly patients with EC.