The Role of Postoperative Adjuvant Radiotherapy in Resected Esophageal Cancer

식도암에서 근치적 절제술 후 방사선치료의 역할

  • Lee Chang Geol (Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center) ;
  • Kim Choong Bae (Department of General Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center) ;
  • Chung Kyung Young (Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center) ;
  • Lee Doo Yun (Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center) ;
  • Seong Jinsil (Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center) ;
  • Kim Gwi Eon (Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center) ;
  • Suh Chang Ok (Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center)
  • 이창걸 (연세대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실, 연세암센터) ;
  • 김충배 (연세대학교 의과대학 외과학교실, 연세암센터) ;
  • 정경영 (연세대학교 의과대학 흉부외과학교실, 연세암센터) ;
  • 이두연 (연세대학교 의과대학 흉부외과학교실, 연세암센터) ;
  • 성진실 (연세대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실, 연세암센터) ;
  • 김귀언 (연세대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실, 연세암센터) ;
  • 서창옥 (연세대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실, 연세암센터)
  • Published : 2002.12.01

Abstract

Objective : A retrospective study was peformed to evaluate whether postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy can improve survival and decrease recurrence as compared with surgery alone in resected esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods : From Jan. 1985 to Dec. 1993, among 94 esophageal cancer Patients treated with surgery, fifty-one patients were included in this study. Transthoracic esophagectomy was peformed in 35 patients and transhiatal esophagectomy in 16. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy was peformed 4 weeks after surgery in 26 among 38 patients in stage II and III. A total dose of $30\~60\;Gy$ in 1.8 Gy daily fraction, median 54 Gy over 6 weeks, was delivered in the mediastinum+both supraclavicular lymph nodes or celiac lymph nodes according to the tumor location. Forty-seven patients$(92\%)$ had squamous histology. The median follow-up period was 38 months. Results : The overall 2-year and 5-year survival and median survival were $56.4\%,\;36.8\%$ and 45 months. Two-year and 5-year survival and median survival by stage were $92\%,\;60.3\%$ for stage I, $63\%,\;42\%$ and 51 months for stage II and $34\%,\;23\%$ and 19 months for stage III (p=0.04). For stage II and III patients, 5-year survival and median survival were $22.8\%$, 45 months for the surgery alone group and $37.8\%$, 22 months for the postoperative RT group (p=0.89). For stage III patients, 2-year survival and median survival were $0\%$, 11 months for the surgery alone group and $36.5\%$, 20 months for the postoperative RT group (p=0.14). Local and distant failure rates for stage II and III were $50\%,\;16\%$ for the surgery alone and $39\%,\;31\%$ for the postoperative RT group. For N1 patients, local failure rate was $71\%$ for the surgery alone group and $37\%$ for the postoperative RT group (p=0.19). Among 10 local failures in the postoperative RT group, in-field failures were 2, marginal failures 1, out-field 5 and anastomotic site failures 2. Conclusion : There were no statistically significant differences in either the overall survival or the patterns of failure between the surgery alone group and the postoperative RT group for resected stage II and III esophageal cancer. But this study showed a tendency of survival improvement and decrease in local failure when postoperative RT was peformed for stage III or N1 though statistically not significant. To decrease local failure, a more generous radiation field encompassing the supraclavicular, mediastinal, and celiac lymph nodes and anastomotic site in postoperative adjuvant treatment should be considered.

목적 : 식도암의 근치적 절제술 후 보조적 요법으로 방사선치료의 역할은 아직 정립되어 있지 않은 상태이다. 저자들은 후향적 분석을 통하여 식도암 환자에서 근치적 절제술 후 수술단독군과 수술 후 방사선치료군 간의 생존률, 재발양상을 비교하여 방사선치료의 역할을 알아 보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 1985년 1월에서 1993년 12월까지 식도암으로 진단받고 근치적 절제술을 시행받은 환자 51명을 대상으로 후향적 분석을 시행하였다. 병기별로 I기 13예, IIA기 12예, IIB기 4예, 그리고 III기가 22예였다. 이 중 병기 I은 전 예에서 수술만을 시행받았고, 병기 II와 III의 38예 중 12예는 수술단독 그리고 25예는 수술 후 방사선치료를 시행받았다. 수술은 35예에서 경흉적 식도절제술(transthoracic esophagectomy)을 그리고 16예에서 경식도공 위장절제술(transhiatal esophagectomy)을 시행받았다. 방사선치료는 원발병소를 기준으로 종격동, 쇄골상부림프절 그리고 복강림프절을 포함하여 $3,000\~6000\;cGy$ $5\~6$주(중앙값 5400 cGy)조사하였다. 추적기간은 18개월에서 107개월 중앙치 38개월이었다. 결과 : 전체환자의 2년 및 5년 생존율은 $56.4\%,\;36.8\%$였고 중앙생존기간은 45개월이었다. 병기별 2년생존율, 5년생존율 그리고 중앙생존기간은 병기 I $92\%,\;60.3\%$, 병기 II $63\%,\;42\%$, 51개월, 병기 III $34\%,\;23\%$, 19개월이었다. 병기 II와 III 전체에서 수술단독군과 수술 후 방사선치료군간의 5년생존율은 $22.8\%$$37.8\%$ 그리고 중앙생존기간은 45개월과 22개월로 차이가 없었다(p=0.89). 그러나 병기 III에서는 비록 통계적 유의성은 없었지만(p=0.14) 중앙생존기간 11개월, 20개월로 그리고 2년생존율에서 $0\%,\;36.5\%$로 수술 후 방사선치료군에서 보다 향상된 결과를 보여 주었다. 병기 II, III에서 국소재발률, 원격전이율은 수술단독군 $50\%,\;16\%$, 수술 후 방사선치료군 $39\%,\;31\%$로 차이가 없었다. 그러나 N1병기에서 국소재발률은 수술단독군 $71\%$, 수술 후 방사선치료군 $37\%$로 통계적 유의성은 없었으나(p=0.19) 병합치료군에서 낮음을 알 수 있었다. 방사선치료군에서 국소재발된 경우는 전체 26예 중 10예로, 방사선치료 조사면을 기준으로 보았을 때 조사면 내 재발이 2예, 경계부위 재발이 1예, 조사면 외부 국소 재발이 5예, 그리고 문합부 재발이 2예였다. 치료에 따른 부작용은 양 군 간에 차이가 없었다. 결론 : 근치적 절제술 후 병기 II, III 식도암환자에서 수술 후 보조요법으로 방사선치료는 수술단독군과 비교하여 생존율, 재발률에 차이가 없었다. 그러나 병기 III 혹은 N1의 경우는 국소재발을 낮추고 생존율향상의 경향을 보여 향후 좀 더 많은 수의 환자를 대상으로 전향적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다. 또한 방사선치료시 국소재발률을 낮추기 위해 방사선치료의 범위를 종격동, 쇄골상부림프절, 복강림프절 그리고 문합부위 등을 모두 포함하는 좀더 넓은 조사면의 치료가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

Keywords

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