Background & objective: Barium swallow is widely used to observe the treatment response of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and as a routine examination for long-term follow-up in China because of its convenience and inexpensiveness. This study was to observe esophageal tumor regression by barium swallow during radiotherapy, analyze the correlations of tumor regression speed to short-term response and long-term survival, and evaluate the clinical value of barium swallow during radiotherapy for ESCC.
Methods: Clinical data from 94 patients with ESCC, treated with radiotherapy (39 patients) or chemoradiotherapy (55 patients) from Jan. 2001 to Jun. 2003 at Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, were retrospectively reviewed. Of the 94 patients, 18 (19.1%) were at stage II, 36 (36.3%) at stage III, and 42 (44.6%) at stage IV. Barium swallow was performed at the radiation dose of 40 Gy and the radiation end, and the X-ray appearance was classified according to Zhengzhou Meeting criteria. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to their tumor regression speed: Group A had rapid regression, with the X-ray appearance classified as grade I or II at 40 Gy, Group B had slow regression, with the X-ray appearance classified as grade III or IV at 40 Gy, but as grade I or II at the radiation end, Group C had obvious residual tumors, with the X-ray appearance kept being classified as grade III or IV till radiation end. The correlations of tumor regression speed to short-term response and long-term survival were analyzed.
Results: The complete response (CR) rates were 100.0% in Group A, 65.2% in Group B, and 28.3% in Group C (P<0.001), the 3-year survival rates were 44.0%, 24.2%, and 17.3%, respectively (P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that short-term response and M stage were independent prognostic factors. The 3-year survival rates of CR patients were 44.0% in Group A, 32.6% in Group B, and 42.2% in Group C (P=0.814). The locoregional failure rates were 50% in Group A, 88% in Group B, and 81% in Group C, and the occurrence rates of severe radiation-related complications were 19%, 0%, and 6%, respectively.
Conclusions: Barium swallow during radiotherapy for ESCC could be used to judge tumor regression speed, which is closely related to short-term response. Short-term response is an important prognostic factor of ESCC.