High-dose versus standard-dose radiation therapy for cervical esophageal cancer: A retrospective single-institution study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the role of definitive radiotherapy using higher-than-standard-dose radiation of 50 Gy for carcinoma of the cervical esophagus (CCE).

METHODS: We reviewed 79 patients with stage I-III CCE, treated between 2000 and 2012. Patients received 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin-based chemotherapy concurrently and were divided into high-dose (≥59.4 Gy, n = 44) and standard-dose (<59.4 Gy, n = 35) groups.

RESULTS: The median follow-up was 35 months for surviving patients. The high-dose group had significantly better 3-year local (90.0% vs 60.4%, P = .001) and locoregional (70.4% vs 45.3%, P = .04) control. Progression-free (45.4% vs 37.5%, P = .32) and overall (58.4% vs 49.1%, P = .69) survival rates were not different. High-dose radiation was an independent prognostic factor for locoregional control (P = .04). No differences in late toxicities (esophageal stenosis or tracheoesophageal fistula) were observed.

CONCLUSION: High-dose radiation for CCE improves local and locoregional control, without increasing severe toxicities.