Biomaterial Database

Current status and future directions in the treatment of localized esophageal cancer. 1994

H Wilke, and J R Siewert, and U Fink, and M Stahl

Department of Internal Medicine (Cancer Research), Essen University Medical School, Germany.

Due to insufficient local tumor control in the majority of esophageal carcinoma (EC) patients and due to distant recurrences, the dismal prognosis of patients with EC has not essentially changed during the past two decades. This holds true despite extended surgical procedures and improved radiation techniques. The 2-year survival rates in stage IIB/III which represent two-thirds of the patients with localized EC is still less than 20%. Therefore, clinical efforts in the management of EC focus on combined modality treatment (CTM), usually preoperative chemotherapy (CTx)/chemoradiotherapy (CTx/RTx) or CTx/RTx alone. Up to now, results of CTM in potentially resectable EC have not shown that preoperative CTx or CTx/RTx is superior to surgery alone with respect to resectability, local tumor control and overall survival. However, CTx responders who subsequently underwent a complete tumor resection had a markedly improved long term survival indicating that the inclusion of CTx in the treatment of EC may improve the prognosis. The benefit of CTx could also be demonstrated in a randomized trial comparing RTx alone versus CTx/RTx with a reduction of local and distant failures and significantly improved survival in the CTM arm. Similar observations were made with CTM in locally advanced disease. To date, there is sufficient evidence that preoperative treatment of EC may improve prognosis at least of subgroups of patients with this tumor. However, this has to be confirmed in well designed (proper staging including endoscopic ultrasound, etc.) randomized trials.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003131	Combined Modality Therapy	The treatment of a disease or condition by several different means simultaneously or sequentially. Chemoimmunotherapy, RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY, chemoradiotherapy, cryochemotherapy, and SALVAGE THERAPY are seen most frequently, but their combinations with each other and surgery are also used.	Multimodal Treatment,Therapy, Combined Modality,Combined Modality Therapies,Modality Therapies, Combined,Modality Therapy, Combined,Multimodal Treatments,Therapies, Combined Modality,Treatment, Multimodal,Treatments, Multimodal
D004938	Esophageal Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the ESOPHAGUS.	Cancer of Esophagus,Esophageal Cancer,Cancer of the Esophagus,Esophagus Cancer,Esophagus Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Esophageal,Cancer, Esophageal,Cancer, Esophagus,Cancers, Esophageal,Cancers, Esophagus,Esophageal Cancers,Esophageal Neoplasm,Esophagus Cancers,Esophagus Neoplasms,Neoplasm, Esophageal,Neoplasm, Esophagus,Neoplasms, Esophagus
D005544	Forecasting	The prediction or projection of the nature of future problems or existing conditions based upon the extrapolation or interpretation of existing scientific data or by the application of scientific methodology.	Futurology,Projections and Predictions,Future,Predictions and Projections
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000970	Antineoplastic Agents	Substances that inhibit or prevent the proliferation of NEOPLASMS.	Anticancer Agent,Antineoplastic,Antineoplastic Agent,Antineoplastic Drug,Antitumor Agent,Antitumor Drug,Cancer Chemotherapy Agent,Cancer Chemotherapy Drug,Anticancer Agents,Antineoplastic Drugs,Antineoplastics,Antitumor Agents,Antitumor Drugs,Cancer Chemotherapy Agents,Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs,Chemotherapeutic Anticancer Agents,Chemotherapeutic Anticancer Drug,Agent, Anticancer,Agent, Antineoplastic,Agent, Antitumor,Agent, Cancer Chemotherapy,Agents, Anticancer,Agents, Antineoplastic,Agents, Antitumor,Agents, Cancer Chemotherapy,Agents, Chemotherapeutic Anticancer,Chemotherapy Agent, Cancer,Chemotherapy Agents, Cancer,Chemotherapy Drug, Cancer,Chemotherapy Drugs, Cancer,Drug, Antineoplastic,Drug, Antitumor,Drug, Cancer Chemotherapy,Drug, Chemotherapeutic Anticancer,Drugs, Antineoplastic,Drugs, Antitumor,Drugs, Cancer Chemotherapy
D015996	Survival Rate	The proportion of survivors in a group, e.g., of patients, studied and followed over a period, or the proportion of persons in a specified group alive at the beginning of a time interval who survive to the end of the interval. It is often studied using life table methods.	Cumulative Survival Rate,Mean Survival Time,Cumulative Survival Rates,Mean Survival Times,Rate, Cumulative Survival,Rate, Survival,Rates, Cumulative Survival,Rates, Survival,Survival Rate, Cumulative,Survival Rates,Survival Rates, Cumulative,Survival Time, Mean,Survival Times, Mean,Time, Mean Survival,Times, Mean Survival
D017024	Chemotherapy, Adjuvant	Drug therapy given to augment or stimulate some other form of treatment such as surgery or radiation therapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy is commonly used in the therapy of cancer and can be administered before or after the primary treatment.	Adjuvant Chemotherapy,Drug Therapy, Adjuvant,Adjuvant Drug Therapy