Do higher radiation doses improve survival for cervical esophageal squamous cell cancer patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy using intensity-modulated radiotherapy? A propensity-score matched analysis.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine whether higher doses of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) could improve the survival rate in patients of cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (CESCC), and lead to more severe treatment-related toxicity.

Methods: The clinical records of stage I-IVA CESCC patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) using IMRT between January 2013 and June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients in the high-dose (HD) group received ≥60 Gy and those in the standard-dose group received <60 Gy.

Risk factors of esophageal fistula induced by re-radiotherapy for recurrent esophageal cancer with local primary site.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate risk factors for esophageal fistula (EF) in patients with recurrent esophageal cancer receiving re-radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy.

Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the clinical characters and dosimetric parameters of 96 patients with recurrent esophageal cancer treated with re-radiotherapy in Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University between August 2014 and January 2021.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were provided to determine the risk factors of EF induced by re-radiotherapy.