Objective: To explore the therapeutic efficacy and safety of elective nodal irradiation (ENI) and involved field irradiation (IFI) in intensity-modulated radiotherapy for esophageal cancer, screen the patients suitable to undergo ENI radiotherapy and provide evidences for individual treatment of esophageal cancer. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 924 patients with esophageal cancer who received definitive intensity-modulated radiotherapy in our hospital from January 2006 to December 2015. Among them, 272 patients received ENI and the other 652 patients received IFI. The clinicopathologic characteristics of 272 cases in ENI group and 652 cases in IFI group, who were recruited according to the balance of propensity score matching method, were compared. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate 1-year, 3-years and 5-years local-regional failure-free survival (LRFFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates. The univariate and multivariate analysis of prognostic factors were also determined by Cox proportional hazard model and Long-rank test. Results: The clinicopathologic characteristics of these two group were not significantly different (P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 85.9 months and the follow-up rate was 95.9%. The 1-year, 3-years, 5-years PFS rates of the ENI groups were 65.3%, 31.7%, 18.4%, respectively, higher than 54.0%, 20.9%, 12.7% of the IFI group (P=0.001). The 1-year, 3-years, 5-years OS rates of the ENI groups were 79.0%, 43.7%, 24.9%, respectively, higher than 75.0%, 31.8%, 17.2% of the IFI group (P=0.003). In multivariate analysis, the sex, tumor volume, N stage and radiation field were independent factors for PFS and OS (P<0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with male, age≤66 year, cervical and upper-thoracic location, tumor length≤6 cm, T1-2 stage, N0-1 stage, Ⅰ-Ⅱ stage, tumor volume≤50 cm(3), dosage>60 Gy and≤2 cycles of chemotherapy in the ENI group had a better survival rate than those in the IFI group (P<0.05). The total failure rate, local-regional failure rate in ENI group were significantly lower than those of IFI group (P=0.001, P=0.004). The incidence of bone marrow depression≥ grade 2 and 3 in ENI group was higher than that of the IFI group (P<0.05). However, the incidences of radioactive esophagitis≥ grade 3, radioactive pneumonia and late adverse reactions were not significantly different between these two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Compared with IFI, ENI can significantly improve the long-term survival for young, early TN stage and cervical/upper-thoracic esophageal cancer patients underwent chemotherapy.
目的： 探讨食管癌根治性调强放疗采用选择性淋巴引流区照射(ENI)和累及野照射(IFI)的疗效和安全性，筛选适合ENI照射的患者，为食管癌的个体化治疗提供依据。 方法： 收集2006年1月至2015年12月在河北医科大学第四医院接受根治性调强放疗符合入组条件的924例食管癌患者的临床资料，其中接受ENI组272例，IFI组652例，以倾向评分配比法平衡后，ENI组272例，IFI组272例，比较两组患者的临床病理特征。采用Kaplan-Meier法计算1、3、5年无局部区域复发生存率、无进展生存率和总生存率，并行Log rank检验。采用Cox风险模型进行单因素和多因素预后分析。 结果： 经倾向评分配比后，ENI组和IFI组患者的临床病理特征差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。中位随访85.9个月，随访率为95.9%。ENI组患者的1、3、5年无进展生存率分别为65.3%、31.7%和18.4%，IFI组患者的1、3、5年无进展生存率分别为54.0%、20.9%和12.7%，差异有统计学意义(P＝0.001)。ENI组患者的1、3、5年总生存率分别为79.0%、43.7%和24.9%，IFI组患者的1、3、5年总生存率分别为75.0%、31.8%和17.2%，差异有统计学意义(P＝0.003)。多因素分析显示，性别、肿瘤体积、N分期、照射范围是影响食管癌患者无进展生存时间和总生存时间的独立因素(均P<0.05)。亚组分析显示，男性、年龄≤66岁、颈胸上段癌、病变长度≤6 cm、T1～2期、N0～1期、Ⅰ～Ⅱ期、肿瘤体积≤50 cm(3)、剂量>60 Gy、化疗1～2个周期ENI组患者的预后明显优于IFI组(均P<0.05)。ENI组患者的治疗总失败率和局部区域复发率均明显低于IFI组(均P<0.05)。ENI组患者≥2级和≥3级骨髓抑制的发生率明显高于IFI组(均P<0.05)，但两组患者≥3级放射性食管炎、放射性肺炎和晚期不良反应的差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。 结论： 食管癌患者接受根治性放疗，尤其是相对年轻、早期、颈胸上段食管癌接受化疗患者，给予ENI照射可明显改善预后。.
Keywords: Definitive radiotherapy; Elective nodal irradiation; Esophageal neoplasms; Involved-field irradiation; Prognosis.