Risk Factors for Esophageal Fistula Associated With Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Unresectable Esophageal Cancer: A Supplementary Analysis of JCOG0303

Risk factors for esophageal fistula in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma invading adjacent organs treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy: a monocentric case-control study

Background

Standard treatment for unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) without distant metastasis is definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT), in which the incidence of esophageal fistula (EF) is reported to be 10–12%. An ad hoc analysis of JCOG0303, a phase II/III trial of dCRT for patients with unresectable ESCC (including non-T4b), suggested that esophageal stenosis is a risk factor for EF. However, risk factors for EF in patients limited to T4b ESCC treated with dCRT have yet to be clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors for EF in T4b thoracic ESCC treated with dCRT.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data of consecutive T4b thoracic ESCC patients who were treated with dCRT (cisplatin and fluorouracil) at Shizuoka Cancer Center between April 2004 and September 2015.

Results

Excluding 8 patients with esophageal fistula clearly attributable to other iatrogenic interventions, the data of 116 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Esophageal fistula was observed in 28 patients (24%). Although the fistula was closed in 5 patients, overall survival was significantly shorter in patients who experienced esophageal fistula (8.0 vs. 26.8 months; p < 0.0001). Among four potential variables extracted in univariate analysis, namely, total circumferential lesion, elevated CRP level, elevated white blood cell count, and anemia, the first two were revealed as risk factors for esophageal fistula in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that total circumferential lesion and CRP ≥1.00 mg/dL are risk factors for esophageal fistula in T4b thoracic ESCC treated with dCRT.

Trial registration

This study was retrospectively registered.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4486-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Clinical application of oral meglumine diatrizoate esophagogram in screening esophageal fistula during radiotherapy for esophageal cancer

INTRODUCTION

Esophageal fistula is a serious and common complication of radiotherapy for esophageal cancer. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment is necessary. Because of side effect of barium esophagography, it cannot be used to screening esophageal fistula during radiotherapy. Meglumine diatrizoate is an ionic contrast agent, its adverse reactions were rarely seen when it was used in the body cavity. The purpose of this trial is identified the sensitivity and specificity of oral meglumine diatrizoate in an esophagogram for screening esophageal fistula during radiotherapy.

METHODS/DESIGN

This trial was a prospective, multicenter, diagnostic clinical trial. A total of 105 patients with esophageal cancer will swallowed meglumine diatrizoate and underwent a radiographic examination weekly during radiotherapy, medical personnel observed the esophageal lesions to determine whether an esophageal fistula formed. If an esophageal fistula was observed, esophagofiberoscopy and/or computer tomography was used to further confirm the diagnosis. And the sensitivity and specificity of meglumine diatrizoate should be calculated for screening esophageal fistula during radiotherapy.

DISCUSSION

To our knowledge, this study protocol is the first to identify the sensitivity and specificity of oral meglumine diatrizoate in an esophagogram for screening esophageal fistula during radiotherapy. If oral meglumine diatrizoate can be used to screening esophageal fistula, more patients will benefit from early detection and treatment.

Risk factors for esophageal fistula in patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma receiving chemoradiotherapy

Background

This study aimed to investigate risk factors for esophageal fistula in patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma receiving chemoradiotherapy.

Subjects and methods

The study prospectively enrolled 212 esophageal carcinoma patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy and evaluated 16 clinical parameters. The best cut-off values were determined by receiver operating characteristics curves. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the Cox proportional hazards model. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the cumulative probability.

Results

In total, 22 patients (10.38%) developed esophageal fistula, of whom 9 experienced fistula during treatment and the other 13 patients developed fistula after chemoradiotherapy. The median time until occurrence was 5.75 months (range 0.6-8 months). In univariate analysis, the evaluated significant factors were Karnofsky performance status, smoking status, esophageal stenosis, T stage, fraction dose, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). In addition, esophageal stenosis (HR=4.089, 95% CI 1.451-11.527, p=0.008), T stage (HR=2.663, 95% CI 1.019-6.960, p=0.046), and CEA (HR=0.309, 95% CI 0.124-0.768, p=0.011) were revealed as risk parameters in further multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

This is the first prospective study to evaluate factors associated with fistula formation in patients with esophageal carcinoma receiving chemoradiotherapy. More attention should be given to patients with esophageal stenosis, stage T4 disease, and high levels of CEA.

Role of intravoxel incoherent motion MRI in early assessment of the response of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to chemoradiotherapy: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Since definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is standard therapy for inoperable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), early evaluation of treatment response is crucial for patients and would be useful in assessing response, especially in patients with severe side effects.

PURPOSE

To explore the feasibility of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI in the early assessment of treatment response to CRT.

STUDY TYPE

Prospective.

POPULATION

Twenty-three inoperable ESCC patients.

SEQUENCE

IVIM 3T MRI of nine b values (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 500 and 800 s/mm² ) was performed at four timepoints: pre-CRT (within 5 days before CRT), mid-CRT (2-3 weeks after the start of CRT), end-CRT (within 5 days after the end of CRT), and post-CRT (1 month after the end of CRT).

ASSESSMENT

IVIM-based parameters and ADC were analyzed independently by two radiologists and treatment response was assessed by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST).

STATISTICAL TESTS

Analyses of variance for repeated measurements were conducted to observe dynamic changes of IVIM-based parameters (D, f, and D*) and ADC during CRT. The parameters and their change percentages (Δ%) were compared between complete response (CR) and partial response (PR) by Mann-Whitney U-test. Diagnostic performance of parameters in predicting response was tested with receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis.

RESULTS

ADC, D, and f increased significantly during CRT (P < 0.001, < 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). ADC, f, Δ%ADC, and Δ%D at mid-CRT in CR group were significantly higher than those in the PR group (P = 0.002, 0.013, 0.005, and 0.011, respectively). D combined with f and ADC had highest area under curve (0.917) in identifying CR from PR.

DATA CONCLUSION

IVIM parameters proved useful in assessing response to definitive concurrent CRT for inoperable ESCC and combined with ADC at an early stage of treatment was a good predictor of response.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 4 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2018;48:349-358.

Radiation therapy for stage IVA uterine cervical cancer: treatment outcomes including prognostic factors and risk of vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas

Purpose

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of radiation therapy for stage IVA uterine cervical cancer and to identify an optimal radiation regimen.

Results

Seventeen of the 28 patients developed recurrence after radiation therapy (local recurrence in 10 and distant metastasis in 12). The local control and distant metastasis-free rates at 3 years in all patients were 61% and 49%, respectively. Fourteen patients died after radiation therapy, and all but 2 died of tumor progression. The disease-free, cause-specific, and overall survival rates at 3 years in all patients were 32%, 49%, and 45%, respectively, and the estimated median survival time was 32 months. Tumor size (P = 0.007) and involvement in the lower third of vagina (P = 0.006) were significant prognostic factors for local control. Older age (P = 0.018) and performance status (P = 0.020) were significant prognostic factors for distant metastasis. The presence of hydronephrosis was the sole significant prognostic factor for survival (P = 0.026). Only 2 patients developed grade 3 late toxicities (vesicovaginal fistula and radiation proctitis, respectively).

Materials and Methods

Twenty-eight patients with stage IVA uterine cervical cancer received radiation therapy. All patients initially received external pelvic irradiation at a median dose of 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions. Twenty patients also received high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy at a median dose of 22 Gy in 4 fractions. These fraction sizes were lower than conventional sizes. The total median dose for all 28 patients was 68.7 Gy.

Conclusions

Radiation therapy is safe and effective for treatment of stage IVA uterine cervical cancer. The reduced radiation dose per fraction may contribute to the prevention of vesicovaginal fistula formation.

Treatment results of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical esophagectomy in patients with initially inoperable thoracic esophageal cancer

PURPOSE

We evaluated the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by esophagectomy for cT4 esophageal cancer or lymph node metastases (LNM) invading adjacent structures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 42 consecutive patients with thoracic esophageal cancer who underwent CRT followed by esophagectomy between 2008 and 2013. All were initially considered to be unresectable because of cT4 (n = 32) disease or LN invasion (n = 10). Radiotherapy was administered at 41.4 Gy/23 fr with concurrent chemotherapy. At completion of CRT, restaging was performed using computed tomography (CT).

RESULTS

All cT4 tumors were downstaged, LNM invading to adjacent structures were considered to be released, and subtotal esophagectomy was performed. The median follow-up period was 42 months. The curative resection (R0) rate was 94% in cT4 group and 70% in LN invasion group. The 3-year overall survival (OS) and 3-year locoregional control (LRC) rates were 65-80% in the cT4 group and 50-67% in LN invasion group, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The cT4 group showed good rates of R0, OS, and LRC. Surgical resection should be an effective option when downstaging is achieved by CRT for patients with initially inoperable thoracic esophageal cancer.

Management of aorto-esophageal fistula secondary after thoracic endovascular aortic repair: a review of literature

Aorto-esophageal fistula (AEF) is a rare and lethal entity, and the difficulty of making diagnosis of AEF is well-known. As promising results in the short-term effectiveness of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) promote its usage, the occurrence of AEF after TEVAR (post-TEVAR AEF) increases as one of the major complications. Therefore, we provide a review concerning the management strategy of post-TEVAR AEF. Although its representative symptom was reported as the triad of mid-thoracic pain and sentinel hematemesis followed by massive hematemesis, the symptom-free interval between sentinel hemorrhage and massive exsanguination is unpredictable. However, the physiological condition represents a surgical contraindication. Accordingly, early diagnosis is important, but either CT or esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy rarely depicts a typical image. The formation of post-TEVAR AEF might be associated with the infection of micro-organisms, which is uncontrollable with anti-biotic administration. The current first-line strategy is combination therapy as follows, (1) to control bleeding by TEVAR in the urgent phase, and (2) radical debridement and aortic/esophageal re-construction in the semi-urgent phase. In view of the high mortality and morbidity rate, it is proposed that the choice in treatment strategies might be affected by patient`s condition, size of the wall defects and the etiology of AEF. Practically, we should keep in mind the importance of making an early diagnosis and, once a suspicious symptom has occurred in a patient with a history of TEVAR, the existence of post-TEVAR AEF should be suspected. A prospective registry together with more developed technologies will be needed to establish a future strategy.

Transcatheter arterial embolization for intercostal arterio-esophageal fistula in esophageal cancer

Background

While esophageal fistula formation in the adjacent organs is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, the management of non-aortic arterio-esophageal fistula has not been frequently reported.

Case presentation

A 69-year-old Japanese man who had undergone definitive chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer was admitted to our hospital with hematemesis. He was diagnosed with mediastinal abscess caused by esophageal perforation, and esophageal bypass surgery was performed. After 3 days, he presented with fatal hemoptysis. As angiography revealed an intercostal artery pseudoaneurysm, transcatheter arterial embolization was performed.

Conclusions

When patients with esophageal cancer, especially those with a history of radiotherapy and/or mediastinitis, present with hematemesis and/or hemoptysis, the possibility of non-aortic arterio-esophageal fistula should be considered. Transcatheter arterial embolization is an effective treatment for non-aortic arterio-esophageal fistula.