BACKGROUND/AIMS: For esophageal cancer, the incidence of lymphatic, local, and hematogenous recurrence is high, and prognosis is poor. This study examined utility of chemoradiotherapy for neural invasion, a risk factor for local recurrence, and a poor prognosis factor. METHODOLOGY: Neural invasion was studied histochemically in 183 patients with resected advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, of T2 or greater depth of wall invasion. RESULTS: Neural invasion positivity occurred in 78 of 183 (46.2%) patients, 11 of 21 (52.4%) of the preoperative radiotherapy alone group, and 5 of 22 (22.7%) in the preoperative chemoradiotherapy group (p<0.05). The local recurrence rate overall was 15.0% in the preoperative radiotherapy alone group compared to 5.9% in the chemoradiotherapy group. CONCLUSIONS: Chemoradiotherapy is effective for neural invasion in comparison with radiotherapy alone.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: For esophageal cancer, the incidence of lymphatic, local, and hematogenous recurrence is high, and prognosis is poor. This study examined utility of chemoradiotherapy for neural invasion, a risk factor for local recurrence, and a poor prognosis factor. METHODOLOGY: Neural invasion was studied histochemically in 183 patients with resected advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, of T2 or greater depth of wall invasion. RESULTS: Neural invasion positivity occurred in 78 of 183 (46.2%) patients, 11 of 21 (52.4%) of the preoperative radiotherapy alone group, and 5 of 22 (22.7%) in the preoperative chemoradiotherapy group (p<0.05). The local recurrence rate overall was 15.0% in the preoperative radiotherapy alone group compared to 5.9% in the chemoradiotherapy group. CONCLUSIONS: Chemoradiotherapy is effective for neural invasion in comparison with radiotherapy alone.