Celiac node failure patterns after definitive chemoradiation for esophageal cancer in the modern era. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2012;83:e231-e239. [PMID: 22436793 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2011.12.061]

Assessing failure patterns of radical intent radiation strategies in patients with locally advanced carcinoma of the esophagus

BACKGROUND

Patterns of failure following definitive CRT (dCRT) are different as compared to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) with increased locoregional failures documented with dCRT.

AIM

To document failure patterns in patients with esophageal carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant and definitive intent radiation strategies.

METHODS

Subjects were 123 patients treated with two chemoradiotherapy strategies. Group 1 (n = 99) underwent dose escalated definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT), Group 2 (n = 24) received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) followed by surgery. Cumulative incidence of locoregional failure (LRF), local failure (LF), regional lymph node failure (RLNF), and distant metastasis (DM) were computed; differences between the groups was evaluated using log rank test. Univariable and multivariable predictors of failure were identified using Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Cumulative LRF: 64% in Group 1 vs 35% in Group 2 (P = .050). Cumulative LF: 59% in Group 1 vs 12% in Group 2 (P = .000). Cumulative RLNF: 30% in Group 1 vs 24% in Group 2 (P = .592). Most common RLNF: mediastinum for both groups (6% vs 12.5%, respectively). Distant metastasis: 40.4% Group 1 vs 17% Group 2 (P = .129), predominantly lung (Group 1, 5%), and nonregional nodes (Group 2, 8.3%). Univariate analysis identified age ≤50, absence of concurrent chemotherapy, dose ≤50 Gy, and incomplete radiotherapy to predict higher odds of LRF and DM for Group 1; absence of comorbidities predicted for lower odds of LRF for Group 2. Age ≤50 predicted for higher odds of RNLR for Group 1, while absence of comorbidities predicted for lower odds of RNLR in Group 2. Multivariate analysis identified age ≤50, incomplete radiotherapy, and absence of concurrent chemotherapy to predict higher odds of LRF for Group 1. Age ≤50, absence of concurrent chemotherapy predicted higher odds of DM for Group 1. Absence of comorbidity predicted lower odds of LRF in Group 2.

CONCLUSION

LRF is common in both groups, with LF being predominant in dCRT as opposed to RNLF in NACRT. Age ≤50, absence of concurrent chemotherapy is a predictor of LRF and DM in dCRT.

Lymph node metastases near the celiac trunk should be considered separately from other nodal metastases in patients with cancer of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction after neoadjuvant treatment and surgery

Background

The aim of the present study is to identify the incidence and prognostic significance of lymph node metastases near the celiac trunk in patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemo(radio)therapy followed by esophagectomy.

Methods

Between March 1994 and September 2013 a total of 462 consecutive patients with cancer of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) who underwent potentially curative esophageal resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (N=88; 19.0%) or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) (N=374; 81.0%) were included.

Results

Seventy one (15.4%) patients had truncal node metastases in the resection specimen. Metastases to these nodes occurred more frequently in male patients with adenocarcinoma and in tumors at the gastro-esophageal junction. A lower response to neoadjuvant treatment, higher ypT and ypN stages and a poorer grade of differentiation were significantly related with truncal node metastases. Patients with tumor positive truncal nodes had a worse median overall survival (17 vs. 55 months). In multivariate analysis, truncal node metastases were independently associated with a worse survival. Only 22 (31.0%) of the 71 patients with tumor positive truncal nodes were identified preoperatively with EUS or CT. In contrast, 37 patients had suspicious truncal nodes on EUS or CT, but metastases in the pathology specimen were absent.

Conclusions

In the present study, it is demonstrated that positive truncal nodes in the resection specimen after neoadjuvant therapy, are associated with advanced tumor stages and are an independent factor for inferior survival.

Prognostic value of supraclavicular nodes and upper abdominal nodes metastasis after definitive chemoradiotherapy for patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The purpose of this study is to assess the prognostic value of supraclavicular nodes, left gastric nodes, celiac nodes and common hepatic nodes metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with definitive radiotherapy. A total of 293 ESCC patients treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy entered the study. The results showed that the presence of supraclavicular nodes (χ² = 0.075, P = 0.785) and left gastric nodes (χ² = 3.603, P = 0.058) metastasis had no significant influence on survival, while celiac nodes (χ² = 33.775, P < 0.001) and common hepatic nodes (χ² = 42.350, P < 0.001) metastasis were associated with significantly shorter survival, regardless of the sites of primary tumor. Multivariate analysis showed that celiac nodes (HR: 0.457, 95% CI: 0.256-0.816; P = 0.008) and common hepatic nodes (HR: 0.241, 95% CI: 0.092-0.630; P = 0.004) metastasis were independently adverse indicator of survival in upper ESCC. While in the middle and lower ESCC, only the common hepatic nodes (middle ESCC: HR: 0.345, 95% CI: 0.161-0.738, P = 0.006; lower ESCC: HR: 0.377, 95% CI: 0.160-0.890, P = 0.026) metastasis was an independently adverse indicator of survival. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that in ESCC treated with definitive radiotherapy, both of celiac nodes and common hepatic nodes metastasis were adverse indicator of survival in upper ESCC, and common hepatic nodes metastasis were adverse indicator of survival in middle and lower ESCC. Supraclavicular nodes an left gastric nodes metastasis is not associated with patients survival in ESCC.

Is endoscopic ultrasound examination necessary in the management of esophageal cancer?

Despite substantial efforts at early diagnosis, accurate staging and advanced treatments, esophageal cancer (EC) continues to be an ominous disease worldwide. Risk factors for esophageal carcinomas include obesity, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hard-alcohol use and tobacco smoking. Five-year survival rates have improved from 5% to 20% since the 1970s, the result of advances in diagnostic staging and treatment. As the most sensitive test for locoregional staging of EC, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) influences the development of an optimal oncologic treatment plan for a significant minority of patients with early cancers, which appropriately balances the risks and benefits of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. EUS is costly, and may not be available at all centers. Thus, the yield of EUS needs to be thoughtfully considered for each patient. Localized intramucosal cancers occasionally require endoscopic resection (ER) for histologic staging or treatment; EUS evaluation may detect suspicious lymph nodes prior to exposing the patient to the risks of ER. Although positron emission tomography (PET) has been increasingly utilized in staging EC, it may be unnecessary for clinical staging of early, localized EC and carries the risk of false-positive metastasis (over staging). In EC patients with evidence of advanced disease, EUS or PET may be used to define the radiotherapy field. Multimodality staging with EUS, cross-sectional imaging and histopathologic analysis of ER, remains the standard-of-care in the evaluation of early esophageal cancers. Herein, published data regarding use of EUS for intramucosal, local, regional and metastatic esophageal cancers are reviewed. An algorithm to illustrate the current use of EUS at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is presented.

Distribution of FDG-avid nodes in esophageal cancer: implications for radiotherapy target delineation

PURPOSE

Clinical target volumes (CTV) for radiotherapy (RT) in esophageal cancer (EC) are based on standard expansions of primary tumor volume. Data is needed to define regions at highest risk for occult disease, based on histology and location of the primary tumor. We therefore reviewed PET scans in EC patients to characterize the location of FDG-avid lymph node metastases (LNM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified 473 EC patients with reviewable pre-treatment PET-CT scans. Tumors were classified by histology and location; 85% were distal or GE junction tumors and 71% were adenocarcinoma. FDG-avid LNM were classified using standard radiographic nodal atlases, and distances from primary tumor to paraesophageal LNM were also measured.

RESULTS

The most common LNM in upper EC were supraclavicular, retrotracheal and paratracheal. The most common LNM in lower EC were paraesophageal and in the gastrohepatic space. Overall, 55% of paraesophageal LNM were adjacent to primary tumor. Of upper esophageal tumors with paraesophageal LNM, 87% were adjacent to the tumor and none were >6 cm from tumor. However, 57% of lower esophageal tumors with paraesophageal LNM had non-adjacent paraesophageal nodes, 24% of which were >8 cm from the tumor.

CONCLUSION

A more data-driven and individualized approach to CTV delineation could improve the therapeutic ratio of RT in esophageal cancer. These results can guide CTV delineation by indicating the potential distribution of nodal involvement in esophageal cancer.

Comparison of locoregional versus extended locoregional radiation volumes for patients with nonmetastatic gastro-esophageal junction carcinomas

INTRODUCTION

To delineate an optimal clinical target volume (CTV) for gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers by comparing locoregional versus extended locoregional radiation (RT) volumes.

MATERIALS

This retrospective analysis examined 222 patients (111 matched pairs treated with locoregional versus extended locoregional RT) with nonmetastatic GEJ carcinomas treated with concurrent chemoradiation ± surgery. The CTV for locoregional volumes was defined as gross tumor volume + elective coverage of first-echelon nodes and sometimes the celiac axis. The CTV for extended locoregional volumes was defined as gross tumor volume + elective coverage of celiac and splenic (± porta) nodes. Variables used for matching included sex, stage, performance status, histology, receipt of induction chemotherapy, type of concurrent chemotherapy, RT modality, receipt of surgery, type of surgery, and Siewert classification. Regression models stratified by matched pairs were fit to estimate effect of RT volume on clinical endpoints.

RESULTS

Adjusting p values for multiple testing, patients treated with extended locoregional versus locoregional RT had increased odds of grade 2+ acute chemoradiation-associated gastrointestinal toxicity (odds ratio: 2.92, adj. p = 0.0447). However, differing RT volumes were not significantly associated with postoperative complication rates, pathologic T-stage, frequency of positive perigastric/regional nodes on surgical specimen, distant-metastases progression-free survival, locoregional progression-free survival, or overall survival (adj. p > 0.05). Of the patients who did (n = 124) and did not (n = 72) receive elective celiac RT, two (1.6%) and two patients (2.8%), respectively, relapsed in the celiac nodes. No patients failed in the splenic or porta nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Most GEJ cancers can be safely treated without elective inclusion of splenic/porta nodes.

Patterns of Regional Lymph Node Recurrence After Radical Surgery for Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the patterns of regional lymph node recurrence after radical surgery for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed clinical characteristics of ESCC patients admitted to two institutions from 1990 to 2011, and analyzed the patterns of regional lymph node recurrence.

RESULTS

The records of 315 eligible patients with ESCC were reviewed. Of the 378 regional lymph node recurrence sites, 177 (46.8%) were in the supraclavicular areas, 120 (31.7%) in the mediastinum, and 81 (21.4%) in the upper abdominal areas. The most common sites of recurrence were the supraclavicular and mediastinum areas in patients with upper and middle thoracic ESCC. Approximately equal percentages of patients with lower thoracic tumors had supraclavicular, mediastinal, and upper abdominal (celiac) lymph node recurrence. Patients with tumor located in the lower thoracic esophagus had a lower probability of supraclavicular lymph node recurrence (p = 0.013). None of the assessed factors was associated with mediastinal lymph node recurrence. Celiac lymph node recurrence was more frequent among patients with lower thoracic ESCC (p = 0.004) and advanced pathologic nodal (pN) stage (pN2, p = 0.034; pN3, p = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

After radical surgery for thoracic ESCC, the patterns of regional lymph node recurrence are related to the tumor location and pN stage.

Definitive chemoradiation for patients with inoperable and/or unresectable esophageal cancer: locoregional recurrence pattern

A locoregional recurrence after definitive chemoradiation (dCRT) for patients with inoperable or unresectable esophageal cancer occurs in about 50% of the patients and is a major cause of failure with a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of locoregional recurrence and its prognostic factors after dCRT in order to search for improvements in radiation treatment. We retrospectively reviewed 184 patients treated with external beam radiotherapy (50.4 Gray/28 fractions), combined with weekly concurrent paclitaxel and carboplatin. Locoregional recurrences were defined by clinical signs of recurrent or progressive disease, combined with progression on computed tomography/positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan, or suspicious endoscopic findings and/or histological proof of recurrence. The site of locoregional recurrence was analyzed with respect to the borders of the radiation fields. After a mean follow up of 22.8 months, 76 patients (41%) had evidence of locoregional recurrence. The 3-years locoregional recurrence-free rate was 45%. The majority of locoregional recurrences occurred within 12 months, nearly all within 24 months. The majority of these patients failed at the site of the primary tumor (86%). Infield locoregional recurrences at the site of the lymph nodes only occurred in 1% compared with 57% at the site of the primary tumor only. Outfield locoregional lymph node recurrences occurred in 22%, without infield recurrence occurred in only 4% of all patients. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival was 65%, 28%, and 21%, respectively. The current analysis demonstrates that a locoregional recurrence after dCRT occurs in 41% of the patients, the majority at the site of the primary tumor. These data suggest a benefit of dose intensification of the primary tumor, but not at the site of the lymph nodes. Higher radiation doses should be assessed with prospective trials.

Expert Consensus Contouring Guidelines for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Current guidelines for esophageal cancer contouring are derived from traditional 2-dimensional fields based on bony landmarks, and they do not provide sufficient anatomic detail to ensure consistent contouring for more conformal radiation therapy techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Therefore, we convened an expert panel with the specific aim to derive contouring guidelines and generate an atlas for the clinical target volume (CTV) in esophageal or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Eight expert academically based gastrointestinal radiation oncologists participated. Three sample cases were chosen: a GEJ cancer, a distal esophageal cancer, and a mid-upper esophageal cancer. Uniform computed tomographic (CT) simulation datasets and accompanying diagnostic positron emission tomographic/CT images were distributed to each expert, and the expert was instructed to generate gross tumor volume (GTV) and CTV contours for each case. All contours were aggregated and subjected to quantitative analysis to assess the degree of concordance between experts and to generate draft consensus contours. The panel then refined these contours to generate the contouring atlas.

RESULTS

The κ statistics indicated substantial agreement between panelists for each of the 3 test cases. A consensus CTV atlas was generated for the 3 test cases, each representing common anatomic presentations of esophageal cancer. The panel agreed on guidelines and principles to facilitate the generalizability of the atlas to individual cases.

CONCLUSIONS

This expert panel successfully reached agreement on contouring guidelines for esophageal and GEJ IMRT and generated a reference CTV atlas. This atlas will serve as a reference for IMRT contours for clinical practice and prospective trial design. Subsequent patterns of failure analyses of clinical datasets using these guidelines may require modification in the future.

Evaluation of the value of ENI in radiotherapy for cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer: a retrospective analysis

Background

A retrospective study to compare the failure patterns and effects of elective nodal irradiation (ENI) or involved field irradiation (IFI) for cervical and upper thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients.

Methods

One hundred and sixty nine patients with the cervical and upper thoracic esophageal SCC were analyzed retrospectively; 99 patients (59%) underwent IFI and 70 patients (41%) received ENI. We defined “Out-PTVifi in-PTVeni metastasis” as lymph node metastasis occurring in the cervical prophylactic field of PTVeni thus out of PTVifi.

Results

Out-PTVifi in-PTVeni cervical node metastasis occurred in 8% of patients in the IFI group, all within 2 years after treatment. However, it occurred in 10% of patients in the ENI group, and these failures happened gradually since one year after treatments. No difference was found in OS and the incidences of Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related esophageal and lung toxicities between the two groups.

Conclusions

ENI for cervical and upper thoracic esophageal SCC patients did not bring longer OS and better long-term control of cervical lymph nodes. Although ENI might delay cervical nodes progression in elective field; it could not decrease the incidence of these failures.

Patterns of regional lymph node recurrence after radical esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the patterns of regional lymph node recurrence after radical esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of 114 patients with regional lymph node recurrence after radical esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma from January 2008 to December 2012.

RESULTS: The median recurrence time was 8 mo. The most common sites of relapse were supraclavicular lymph nodes (61/114) and abdominal lymph nodes (44/114). The recurrence rate of supraclavicular lymph nodes in upper and middle thoracic carcinomas was significantly higher than that in lower thoracic carcinomas (χ² = 13.174, P = 0.001). The recurrence rate of celiac lymph nodes in lower thoracic carcinomas was significantly higher than that in upper and middle thoracic carcinomas (χ² = 18.787, P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between tumor location and lymph node recurrence in the mediastinum. The recurrence rate of celiac lymph nodes in stage ⅢA-ⅢC disease was significantly higher than that in stage ⅠB-ⅡB (χ² = 5.729, P = 0.022). Patients with celiac lymph node recurrence were prone to distant metastases (χ² = 5.026, P = 0.025), especially liver metastases (χ² = 8.628, P = 0.003).

CONCLUSION: Patterns of regional lymph nodes recurrence after radical esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma are associated with primary tumor site and tumor stage. Patients with celiac lymph node recurrence are more prone to distant metastases.

Importance of surveillance and success of salvage strategies after definitive chemoradiation in patients with esophageal cancer

PURPOSE

Patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC) who are treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (bimodality therapy [BMT]) experience frequent relapses. In a large cohort, we assessed the timing, frequency, and types of relapses during an aggressive surveillance program and the value of the salvage strategies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with EC (N = 276) who received BMT were analyzed. Patients who had surgery within 6 months of chemoradiotherapy were excluded to reduce bias. We focused on local relapse (LR) and distant metastases (DM) and the salvage treatment of patients with LR only. Standard statistical methods were applied.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 54.3 months (95% CI, 48.4 to 62.4). First relapses included LR only in 23.2% (n = 64), DM with or without LR in 43.5% (n = 120), and no relapses in 33.3% (n = 92) of patients. Final relapses included no relapses in 33.3%, LR only in 14.5%, DM only in 15.9%, and DM plus LR in 36.2% of patients. Ninety-one percent of LRs occurred within 2 years and 98% occurred within 3 years of BMT. Twenty-three (36%) of 64 patients with LR only underwent salvage surgery, and their median overall survival was 58.6 months (95% CI, 28.8 to not reached) compared with those patients with LR only who were unable to undergo surgery (9.5 months; 95% CI, 7.8 to 13.3).

CONCLUSION

Unlike in patients undergoing trimodality therapy, for whom surveillance/salvage treatment plays a lesser role,(1) in the BMT population, approximately 8% of all patients (or 36% of patients with LR only) with LRs occurring more than 6 months after chemoradiotherapy can undergo salvage treatment, and their survival is excellent. Our data support vigilant surveillance, at least in the first 24 months after chemotherapy, in these patients.

Patterns of lymph node recurrence after radical surgery impacting on survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of this study was to investigate how patterns of lymph nodes recurrence after radical surgery impact on survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. One hundred eighty consecutive patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma underwent radical surgery, and the tumors were staged as pT1-3N0M0 by postoperative pathology. Lymph nodes recurrence was detected with computed tomography 3-120 months after the treatment. The patterns of lymph nodes recurrence including stations, fields and locations of recurrent lymph nodes, and impacts on patterns of survival were statistically analyzed. There was a decreasing trend of overall survival with increasing stations or fields of postoperative lymph nodes involved (all P<0.05). Univariate analysis showed that stations or fields of lymph nodes recurrence, and abdominal or cervical lymph nodes involved were prognostic factors for survival (all P<0.05). Cox analyses revealed that the field was an independent factor (P<0.05, odds ratio=2.73). Lymph nodes involved occurred predominantly in cervix and upper mediastinum (P<0.05). In conclusion, patterns of lymph node recurrence especially the fields of lymph nodes involved are significant prognostic factors for survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.