Metal stenting to resolve post-photodynamic therapy stricture in early esophageal cancer

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an established endoscopic technique for ablating Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia or early-stage intraepithelial neoplasia. The most common clinically significant adverse effect of PDT is esophageal stricture formation. The strictures are usually superficial and might be dilated effectively with standard endoscopic accessories, such as endoscope balloon or Savary dilators. However, multiple dilations might be required to achieve stricture resolution in some cases. We report the case of stricture that recurred after dilation with a bougie, which was completely relieved by a self-expandable metal stent.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy with concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer

AIM： To evaluate the dosimetry, efficacy and toxicity of intensity-modulated radiation therapy （IMRT） and concurrent chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer. METHODS： A retrospective study was performed on 7 patients who were definitively treated with IMRT and concurrent chemotherapy. Patients who did not receive IMRT radiation and concurrent chemotherapy were not included in this analysis. IMRT plans were evaluated to assess the tumor coverage and normal tissue avoidance. Treatment response was evaluated and toxicities were assessed. RESULTS： Five- to nine-beam IMRT were used to deliver a total dose of 59.4-66 Gy （median： 64.8 Gy） to the primary tumor with 6-MV photons. The minimum dose received by the planning tumor volume （PTV） of the gross tumor volume boost was 91.2%-98.2% of the prescription dose （standard deviation [SD]： 3.7%-5.7%）. The minimum dose received by the PTV Of the clinical tumor volume was 93.8%-104.8% （SD： 4.3%-11.1%） of the prescribed dose. With a median follow-up of 15 rno （range： 3-21 too）, all 6 evaluable patients achieved complete response. Of them, 2 developed local recurrences and 2 had distant metastases, 3 survived with no evidence of disease. After treatment, 2 patients developed esophageal stricture requiring frequent dilation and 1 patient developed tracheal-esophageal fistula. CONCLUSION： Concurrent IMRT and chemotherapy resulted in an excellent early response in patients with locally advanced cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer. However, local and distant recurrence and toxicity remain to be a problem. Innovative approaches are needed to improve the outcome.

Simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy for esophageal cancer:A feasibility study

AIM: To establish the feasibility of simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy (SMART) in esophageal cancer (EC).

Endoscopic incisional therapy for benign esophageal strictures: Technique and results

Benign esophageal strictures refractory to the conventional balloon or bougie dilatation may be subjected to various adjunctive modes of therapy, one of them being endoscopic incisional therapy(EIT). A proper delineation of the stricture anatomy is a prerequisite. A host of electrocautery and mechanical devices may be used, the most common being the use of needle knife, either standard or insulated tip. The technique entails radial incision and cutting off of the stenotic rim. Adjunctive therapies, to prevent re-stenosis, such as balloon dilatation, oral or intralesional steroids or argon plasma coagulation can be used. The common strictures where EIT has been successfully used are Schatzki's rings(SR) and anastomotic strictures(AS). Short segment strictures(< 1 cm) have been found to have the best outcome. When compared with routine balloon dilatation, EIT has equivalent results in treatment na?ve cases but better long term outcome in refractory cases. Anecdotal reports of its use in other types of strictures have been noted. Post procedure complications of EIT are mild and comparable to dilatation therapy. As of the current evidence, incisional therapy can be used for management of refractory AS and SR with relatively short stenosis(< 1 cm) with good safety profile and acceptable long term patency.

Intensity modulated radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost based dose escalation on neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced distal esophageal adenocarcinoma

AIM:To evaluate impact of radiation therapy dose escalation through intensity modulated radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost(IMRT-SIB).METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed the patients who underwent four-dimensional-based IMRT-SIBbased neoadjuvant chemoradiation protocol.During the concurrent chemoradiation therapy,radiation therapy was through IMRT-SIB delivered in 28 consecutive daily fractions with total radiation doses of 56 Gy to tumor and 5040 Gy dose-painted to clinical tumor volume,with a regimen at the discretion of the treating medical oncologist.This was followed by surgical tumor resection.We analyzed pathological completion response(p CR) rates its relationship with overall survival and event-freesurvival.RESULTS:Seventeen patients underwent dose escalation with the IMRT-SIB protocol between 2007 and 2014 and their records were available for analysis.Among the IMRT-SIB-treated patients,the toxicity appeared mild,the most common side effects were grade 1-3 esophagitis(46%) and pneumonitis(11.7%).There were no cardiac events.The Ro resection rate was 94%(n = 16),the p CR rate was 47%(n = 8),and the postoperative morbidity was zero.There was one mediastinal failure found,one patient had local failure at the anastomosis site,and the majority of failures were distant in the lung or bone.The 3-year diseasefree survival and overall survival rates were 41%(n = 7) and 53%(n = 9),respectively.CONCLUSION:The dose escalation through IMRT-SIB in the chemoradiation regimen seems responsible for down-staging the distal esophageal with well-tolerated complications.

Effect of Docetaxel and Cisplatin Chemotherapy Combined with Intensitymodulated Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Postoperative Recurrence of Esophageal Cancer and Its Effect on Serum Tumor Markers

Objective: To investigate the effect of docetaxel and cisplatin combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy in thetreatment of postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer and the content of tumor markers in serum. Methods: According tosimple randomization method, 60 patients with postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer admitted from February 2018 toSeptember 2019 were divided into control group (n = 30 cases) and observation group (n = 30 cases). All patients received IMRT.Fluorouracil + cisplatin was used in the control group and docetaxel + cisplatin was used in the observation group. After 2 coursesof continuous treatment, the therapeutic effect, serum tumor marker content and adverse reactions were compared between thetwo groups. Results: After treatment, the effective rate of observation group was higher than control group, and the difference wasstatistically significant (P < 0.05).The contents of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) andcarbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in observation group were lower than those in control group, and the difference was statisticallysignificant (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, and thedifference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Docetaxel and cisplatin combined with intensemodulated radiotherapyfor postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer can improve the therapeutic effect, inhibit the malignant degree of tumor, andreduce the incidence of adverse reactions.

Long-term efficacy of perioperative chemoradiotherapy on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the role of perioperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in the treatment of locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: Using preoperative computed tomography (CT)-based staging criteria, 238 patients with ESCC (stage ⅡⅢ ) were enrolled in this prospective study between January 1997 and June 2004. With informed consent, patients were randomized into 3 groups: preoperative CRT (80 cases), postoperative CRT (78 cases) and surgery alone (S) (80 cases). The 1-, 3-, 5and 10-year survival were followed up. Progressionfree survival (PFS) was chosen as the primary endpoint by treatment arm measured from study entry until documented progression of disease or death from any cause. The secondary endpoint was overall survival (OS) determined as the time (in months) between the date of therapy and the date of death. Other objectives were surgical and adjuvant therapy complications.RESULTS: With median follow-up of 45 mo for all the enrolled patients, significant differences in the 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-year OS (91.3%, 63.5%, 43.5%, 24.5% vs 91%, 62.8%, 42.3%, 24.4% vs 87.5%, 51.3%, 33.8%, 12.5%, P = 0.0176) and PFS (89.3%, 61.3%, 37.5%, 18.1% vs 89.1%, 61.1%, 37.2%, 17.8% vs 84.5%, 49.3%, 25.9%, 6.2%, P = 0.0151) were detected among the 3 arms. There were no significant differences in OS and PFS between the preoperative CRT and postoperative CRT arm (P > 0.05). For the patients who had radical resection, significant differences in median PFS (48 mo vs 61 mo vs 39.5 mo, P = 0.0331) and median OS (56.5 mo vs 72 mo vs 41.5 mo, P = 0.0153) were detected among the 3 arms, but there were no significant differences in OS and PFS between the preoperative CRT and postoperative CRT arm (P > 0.05). The local recurrence rates in the preoperative CRT, postoperative CRT group and S group were 11.3%, 14.1% and 35%, respectively (P < 0.05). No significant differences were detected among the 3 groups when comparing complications but tended to be in favor of the postoperative CRT and S groups (P > 0.05). Toxicities of CRT in the preoperative or postoperative CRT arms were mostly moderate, and could be quickly alleviated by adequate therapy. CONCLUSION: Rational application of preoperative or postoperative CRT can provide a benefit in PFS and OS in patients with locally advanced ESCC.

Prevention of esophageal strictures after endoscopic submucosal dissection

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) have recently been accepted as less invasive methods for treating patients with early esophageal cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and dysplasia of Barrett&#x02019;s esophagus. However, the large defects in the esophageal mucosa often cause severe esophageal strictures, which dramatically reduce the patient&#x02019;s quality of life. Although preventive endoscopic balloon dilatation can reduce dysphagia and the frequency of dilatation, other approaches are necessary to prevent esophageal strictures after ESD. This review describes several strategies for preventing esophageal strictures after ESD, with a particular focus on anti-inflammatory and tissue engineering approaches. The local injection of triamcinolone acetonide and other systemic steroid therapies are frequently used to prevent esophageal strictures after ESD. Tissue engineering approaches for preventing esophageal strictures have recently been applied in basic research studies. Scaffolds with temporary stents have been applied in five cases, and this technique has been shown to be safe and is anticipated to prevent esophageal strictures. Fabricated autologous oral mucosal epithelial cell sheets to cover the defective mucosa similarly to how commercially available skin products fabricated from epidermal cells are used for skin defects or in cases of intractable ulcers. Fabricated autologous oral-mucosal-epithelial cell sheets have already been shown to be safe.

Covered nitinol stents for the treatment of esophageal strictures and leaks

AIM:To compare 2 different types of covered esophageal nitinol stents(Ultraflex and Choostent) in terms of efficacy,complications,and long-term outcome.METHODS:A retrospective review of a consecutive series of 65 patients who underwent endoscopic placement of an Ultraflex stent(n = 33) or a Choostent(n = 32) from June 2001 to October 2009 was conducted.RESULTS:Stent placement was successful in all patients without hospital mortality.No significant differences in patient discomfort and complications were observed between the Ultraflex stent and Choostent groups.The median follow-up time was 6 mo(interquartile range 3-16 mo).Endoscopic reintervention was required in 9 patients(14%) because of stent migration or food obstruction.No significant difference in the rate of reintervention between the 2 groups was observed(P = 0.8).The mean dysphagia score 1 mo after stent placement was 1.9 ± 0.3 for the Ultraflex stent and 2.1 ± 0.4 for the Choostent(P = 0.6).At 1-mo follow-up endoscopy,the cover membrane of the stent appeared to be damaged more frequently in the Choostent group(P = 0.34).Removal of the Choostent was possible up to 8 wk without difficulty.CONCLUSION:Ultraflex and Choostent proved to be equally reliable for palliation of dysphagia and leaks.Removal of the Choostent was easy and safe under mild sedation.

Radiotherapy of 180 cases of operable esophageal carcinoma

AIM To compare the validity of radiotherapy and surgery for operable esophageal carcinoma in 180 patients with pathologically proved esophageal carcinoma who had been accepted for surgery, but for various reasons, were given radical radiation therapy. METHODS The reasons of abandoning surgery in the patients were: poor cardiac function (21), poor pulmonary function (36), poor general condition (9), senility (aged 69～81 years), 32 and refusal by the patient (82). They were treated either by the isocenter technic alone or anteroposterior plus isocenter irradiation to a total dose of 50～70 Gy/5～7wk. RESULTS The 1 , 3 and 5 year survival rates were 64%, 34% and 23%. The 3 and 5 year survival rates showed that lesions in the upper third did better than those in the middle and lower thirds ( P <0 05). The 5 year survival rate by radiation alone (44 5%) of the upper third lesions was slightly better than by surgery. The effect for lesions in the middle third was slightly inferior, and that for the lower third was even poorer than that of surgery. CONCLUSION The result of radiation alone for the operable esophageal carcinoma was similar to that of surgery.

Chemoradiotherapy for a patient with a giant esophageal fistula

We describe our experience of treatment for a giant esophageal malignant fistula, which has not been reported previously. A 36-year-old woman who was diagnosed as having massive esophageal small cell carcinoma with metastases was treated with chemoradiotherapy. However, a giant esophagomediastinal fistula appeared due to shrinkage of the massive tumor, and all anti-cancer treatment was suspended. However, chemoradiotherapy was restarted at the request of the patient despite the presence of the fistula. After restarting treatment, the giant esophageal fistula was naturally closed despite intensive chemoradiotherapy, and the patient became able to eat and drink. Although the patient finally died, her QOL and prognosis seemed to be improved by the chemoradiotherapy. Anti-cancer treatment could be safely performed despite the presence of a giant fistula. The giant fistula closed while intensive chemotherapy was administered to the patient. Therefore, the presence of a fistula may not be a contraindication for curative chemoradiotherapy. Completion of treatment with proper management and maintenance of patients would be of benefit to patients with fistula.

Therapeutic efficiency of short anterior urethral stricture treated with endourethral surgery combined with iridium 192 radiotherapy

Objective To assess the therapeutic efficiency of short anterior urethral stricture treated with endourethral surgery combined with iridium 192 radiation therapy in order to decrease the recurrence rate after endourethral surgery.Methods A total of 286 patients with anterior urethral stricture(stricture length ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 cm,averaging at 1.6 cm)were divided randomly into two groups after internal urethrotomy and cicatrix electrotomy.The radiation group of 173 patients was treated as soon as possible with iridium 192 radiation therapy on the stricture sections while the control group of 113 patients was not.The recurrence rate was compared between the two groups during one year’s follow-up.Results Among all the 286 successful operations,stricture recurred in 19 patients of the radiation group(recurrence rate of 10.98%)and in 62 ones of the control group(recurrence rate of 54.86%),with a significant difference(P=0.003).Conclusion It is an effective way to prevent recurrence by treating patients as early as possible with iridium 192 radiation on the stricture sections after endourethral operation on anterior urethral stricture.

Comparison of involved-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with S-1 vs radiotherapy alone for elderly patients with esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND It is estimated that about 30%of esophageal cancer(EC)patients are over 70 years old.Therefore,there is less evidence on the diagnosis and management of elderly EC patients.It is important to explore how elderly EC patients benefit from radical radiochemotherapy regimens,including the target area of radiotherapy(RT),radiation dose and fraction,and choice of chemotherapy drugs.AIM To compare the efficacy of involved-field intensity-modulated RT(IF-IMRT)combined with S-1 vs RT alone in the treatment of elderly EC patients in terms of safety,short-term response,and survival.METHODS Thirty-four EC patients aged>70 years were prospectively enrolled between December 2017 and December 2019.Based on the random number table,they were divided into an IF-IMRT+S-1 group and an IF-IMRT alone group,with 17 patients in each group.All patients were treated with IF-IMRT at a dose of 50.4-56 Gy in 28-30 fractions(1.8-2 Gy/fraction,5 fractions/wk).Oral S-1 was administered concomitantly in the IF-IMRT+S-1 group for 14 consecutive days,and a second cycle was started 7 d after drug withdrawal.After RT,4 cycles of S-1 treatment were offered as the consolidation chemotherapy.The safety,short-term response,and survival were observed after the treatment.RESULTS As of April 2022,these 34 patients had been followed up for 15.2-32.5 mo,with a median follow-up period of 24.5 mo.Complete efficacy indicators were obtained from all the patients.The objective response rate was 88.2%vs 76.5%,respectively,in the IF-IMRT+S-1 group and the RT alone group,where as the disease control rate was 100%vs 82.4%,respectively.The incidence of adverse events including grade 1-2 fatigue,granulocytopenia,thrombocytopenia,anemia,radiation esophagitis,radiation-induced skin injury,and radiation-induced lung injury was not significantly different between these two groups,so was the incidence of the grade 3 radiation esophagitis(0%vs 5.7%).The rate of progressive disease(PD)was 52.9%(n=9)in the IF-IMRT+S-1 group and 64.7%(n=11)in the RT alone group.The median progression-free survival(PFS)was 23.4 mo vs 16.3 mo,and the 2-year PFS rate was 42%vs 41.2%.The median overall survival(OS)was 27.0 mo vs 23.0 mo,and the 2-year OS rate was 58.8%vs 47.1%.Multivariate analysis showed that age was a significant prognostic factor(P=0.0019);patients aged<75 years had a significant survival advantage over patients aged≥75 years.The locations of EC also affected the prognosis.In the IFIMRT+S-1 group,the number of chemotherapy cycles was a significant prognostic factor(P=0.0125),and the risk of PD was significantly lower in EC patients who had received 6 cycles of chemotherapy than those who had received 2-5 cycles of chemotherapy.CONCLUSION Compared with IF-IMRT alone,IF-IMRT+S-1 shows the benefits of preventing PD and prolonging survival without increasing adverse reactions.Therefore,this concurrent radiochemotherapy deserves clinical application.

Rare esophageal carcinoma-primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus: A case report

BACKGROUND Esophageal adenoid cystic carcinoma(EACC)is an exceedingly rare malignant tumor of the esophagus,posing significant challenges in the clinic.CASE SUMMARY This report detailed the case of a 72-year-old male whose diagnosis of EACC was confirmed through postoperative histopathological examination.The patient underwent thoracoscopy-assisted radical resection of the esophageal tumor,coupled with lymph node dissection.Pathological findings revealed an adenoid cystic carcinoma infiltrating the entire layer of the muscularis propria,locally extending into the outer membrane of the esophageal fiber,involving the cardia and exhibiting no lymph node metastasis.The patient’s condition was classified as primary EACC,T3N0M0,per the American Joint Committee on Cancer(2017;8th edition).One month after surgery,the patient received postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy.CONCLUSION In addressing the rarity and high potential for biopsy misdiagnosis of EACC,this study delved into its diagnostic methods and treatment.

Clinical features, outcomes and treatment-related pneumonitis in elderly patients with esophageal carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the clinical features and prognoses of elderly patients with esophageal carcinoma and to compare the effects of radiotherapy and rates of treatment-related pneumonitis (TRP) between elderly and non-elderly patients.

Radiotherapy for Carcinoma of the Esophagus: Progress of Treatment and Research in China

Carcinoma of the esophagus is a common malignancy in China. Radiotherapy is one of the most important modalities of treatment. This article provides a review of the natural history of this disease, the results of radiotherapy for esophageal cancer and the recent advances in radiation techniques in China. Significant progress has been made in this area of research and treatment. Combined treatment modalities and new therapies are being evaluated and may be expected to contribute to improved patient outcomes and better palliation of symptoms in the future.

食管癌放疗不同敏感性患者PBK/TOPK mRNA表达观察

目的:探讨食管癌放疗不同敏感性患者PDZ结合激酶/T-LAK细胞来源的蛋白激酶(PBK/TOPK)表达差异。方法:回顾性分析我院2019年10月—2021年10月收治的94例食管癌患者的临床资料,所有患者入院后均行放疗治疗,依据患者短期疗效分为放疗敏感组(n=61)与放疗抵抗组(n=33)。比较两组患者性别、年龄、身体质量指数、肿瘤位置、病变长度、临床分期、病理类型、卡式(Karnofsky)功能状态评分、最大横径、血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)、PBK/TOPK差异。通过ROC分析最大横径、PBK/TOPK、VEGF预测食管癌放疗敏感性的价值,并采用多因素Logistic回归分析明确食管癌放疗敏感性的影响因素。结果:94例患者放疗结束后完全缓解4例,部分缓解57例,疾病稳定21例,疾病进展12例,放疗敏感共计61例,占64.89%。两组性别、年龄、身体质量指数、肿瘤位置、病变长度、临床分期、病理类型、Karnofsky功能状态评分比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);放疗抵抗组患者低分化占比显著高于放疗敏感组,肿瘤最大横径、PBK/TOPK、VEGF水平显著高于放疗敏感组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);经ROC分析,最大横径≥4.371cm、PBK/TOPK≥10.282、VEGF≥212.693ng/L是食管癌放疗敏感性的最佳截断值(P<0.05);Logistic回归分析显示最大横径≥4.371cm、PBK/TOPK≥10.282、VEGF≥212.693ng/L、低分化是食管癌放疗敏感性的影响因素(P<0.05)。结论:食管癌放疗敏感性与肿瘤最大横径、分化程度、PBK/TOPK、VEGF水平有关,放疗抵抗患者PBK/TOPK水平显著较高,需密切关注。

Inhibition of human esophageal squamous cell carcinomas by targeted silencing of tumor enhancer genes: an overview

Esophageal cancer has been reported as the ninth most common malignancy and ranks as the sixth most frequent cause of death worldwide. Esophageal cancer treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or combination therapy. Novel strategies are needed to boost the oncologic outcome. Recent advances in the molecular biology of esophageal cancer have documented the role of genetic alterations in tumorigenesis. Oncogenes serve a pivotal function in tumorigenesis. Targeted therapies are directed at the unique molecular signature of cancer cells for enhanced efficacy with low toxicity. RNA interference(RNAi) technology is a powerful tool for silencing endogenous or exogenous genes in mammalian cells. Related results have shown that targeting oncogenes with siRNAs, specifically the mRNA, effectively reduces tumor cell proliferation and induces apoptotic cell death. This article will briefly review studies on silencing tumor enhancer genes related to the induction of esophageal cancer.

肿瘤放疗诱发放射性食管炎的评估技术研究现状

肿瘤放疗目前已进入精准放疗时代,随着分子生物学技术的快速发展,利用生物标志物评估放疗不良反应,可为实现个体化的精准放疗提供支持。肺癌、食管癌等胸部肿瘤在进行放射治疗时,易诱发放射性食管炎,进而限制放疗剂量,甚至中断放疗计划。该文主要通过文献调研,对基于生物分子的放射性食管炎的评估技术研究现状进行概述,以期为肿瘤的个体化精准放疗研究提供借鉴。

胸中上段食管癌患者调强放疗照射野数的剂量学研究

目的:比较5野、7野IMRT用于胸中上段食管癌患者调强放射治疗(IMRT)的剂量学差异。方法:纳入接受IMRT的150例胸中上段食管癌患者为研究对象,根据IMRT照射野数不同分为7野组(n=71)及5野组(n=79)。全部患者总治疗剂量为50 Gy,每周期治疗5次,共计治疗25次。比较两组治疗期间靶区及相关危及器官剂量学参数,比较两组治疗前后血清学指标及对治疗的满意度。结果:两组患者靶区平均受照剂量比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);7野组患者均匀指数低于5野组(P<0.05),适形指数高于5野组(P<0.05)。两组患者心脏、脊髓、左肺、右肺平均受照剂量比较,差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05);7野组患者左肺及右肺V5均高于5野组(P<0.05),左肺及右肺V20、V30均低于5野组(P<0.05)。治疗后,两组患者血清血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)、基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP-2)、MMP-9水平均低于治疗前(P<0.05),且7野组均低于5野组(P<0.05)。两组患者满意度比较,组间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:5野IMRT并未增加胸中上段食管癌患者相关危及器官的受照剂量,且有利于降低双肺的V5,但7野IMRT用于在靶区适形度及临床疗效方面更具优势。