The Outcome of Conventional External Beam Radiotherapy for Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus

식도의 편평상피세포암 환자에서 외부방사선치료의 결과

  • Jang, Ji-Young (Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, Chosun University)
  • 장지영 (조선대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실)
  • Published : 2008.03.30

Abstract

Purpose: The best treatment for advanced esophageal cancer is chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. In spite of the advance of multimodality therapy, most patients with esophageal cancer are treated with radiation therapy alone. This study reports the outcome of the use of conventional external beam radiotherapy alone for the treatment of esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods: Between January 1998 and December 2005, 30 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were treated with external beam radiotherapy using a total dose exceeding 40 Gy. Radiotherapy was delivered with a total dose of 44-60 Gy(median dose, 57.2 Gy) over $36{\sim}115$ days(median time, 45 days). Thirteen patients(43.3%) had a history of disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, lye stricture, asthma, cerebral infarct, and cancers. Four patients metachronously had double primary cancers. The most common location of a tumor was the mid-thoracic portion of the esophagus(56.7%). Tumor lengths ranged from 2 cm to 11 cm, with a median length of 6 cm. For AJCC staging, stage III was the most common (63.3%). Five patients had metastases at diagnosis. Results: The median overall survival was 8.3 months. The survival rates at 1-year and 2-years were 33.3% and 18.7%, respectively. The complete response rate $1{\sim}3$ months after radiotherapy was 20%(6/30) and the partial response rate was 70%(21/30). Sixteen patients(53.3%) had an improved symptom of dysphagia. Significant prognostic factors were age, tumor length, stage, degree of dysphagia at the time of diagnosis and tumor response. Cox regression analysis revealed the aim of treatment, clinical tumor response and tumor length as independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Twenty-eight patients had local failure and another four patients had metastases. Three patients were detected with double primary cancers in this analysis. A complication of esophageal stricture was observed in three patients(10%), and radiation pneumonitis occurred in two patients(6.7%). Conclusion: The prognosis of esophageal cancer remains poor, in spite of advances in radiotherapy techniques. Radiotherapy is one of the main treatment modalities for the relief of dysphagia and treatment related complications are minimal. It is expected that the addition of chemotherapy or another systemic modality to radiotherapy will improve tumor control and increase the survival rate in advanced esophageal cancer.

목적: 최근 진행된 식도암의 치료는 병행항암방사선요법 후 수술을 시행하는 것이 가장 성적이 좋은 것으로 보고되고 있다. 그러나 병행치료의 발전에도 불구하고 여전히 많은 식도암 환자에서 병행치료가 어려워 방사선치료 단독으로 치료받게 된다. 이에 저자는 통상적인 외부방사선치료를 받은 식도암 환자의 치료성적과 예후인자를 알아 보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1998년 1월부터 2005년 12월까지 식도의 편평상피세포암으로 진단받고 40 Gy 이상 외부방사선조사를 받은 30명의 환자를 대상으로 분석하였다. 총방사선량은 $44{\sim}60Gy$(중간선량 57.2 Gy)이었으며 방사선치료 기간은 $36{\sim}115$일(중간방사선치료기간 45일)이었다. 13명(43.3%)의 환자는 당뇨, 고혈압, 결핵 등의 과거력이 있었으며 그중 4명의 환자에서 식도암 진단 전 3명이 위암, 1명이 하인두암으로 진단받고 치료받은 적이 있었다. 원발병소부위는 중흉부식도에 위치한 예가 19명(63.3%)으로 가장 많았고 상흉부식도 4명(13.3%), 하흉부식도 7명(23.3%)이었다. 원발병소의 길이는 $2{\sim}11cm$이었고, 중간 길이는 6 cm이었다. 진단당시 병기는 AJCC 병기로 병기 I이 2명(6.7%), 병기 II 4명(13.3%), 병기 III 19명(63.3%), 병기 IV 5명(16.7%)이었다. 결과: 전체 환자의 중간 생존기간은 8.3개월이었고 1년 생존율 33.3%, 2년 생존율 18.7%이었다. 치료종료 $1{\sim}3$개월째 치료결과를 판정하여 완전관해를 보인 환자가 6명(20%), 부분관해 21명(70%)이었다. 치료종료 $1{\sim}3$개월 후에 평가한 연하곤란증상은 29명(96.7%)의 환자에서 호전되었다. 치료성적에 영향을 미치는 예후인자에 대한 단변량 분석결과 연령, 종양의 길이, 병기, 치료 전 식사, 치료 목적, 치료에 따른 반응정도가 통계적인 유의성을 보였다. 다변량분석에서는 종양의 길이, 치료 목적, 치료에 따른 반응정도가 생존율에 영향을 미치는 인자로 확인되었다. 치료실패는 국소 실패가 28명, 전이가 4명이었다. 추적조사기간동안 2명의 환자에서 이차적인 암이 발생하여 과거력상 식도이외의 암이 있었던 환자를 포함하면 6명(20%)에서 다발성 암으로 진단받았다. 치료로 인한 부작용 중 식도협착이 발생한 예가 3명(10%), 방사선폐렴이 발생한 예가 2명(6.7%)이었다. 결론: 식도암에서 단독 방사선치료 결과는 병행치료에 비해 만족스럽지 못하지만 부작용이 많지 않아 연하곤란증상을 완화시키기 위한 목적으로 여전히 이용되고 있다. 진행된 식도암에서 항암제 혹은 항암제 이외의 적절한 병행치료를 시행하여 완전관해율을 높인다면 생존율의 향상을 얻을 수 있으리라 기대해 본다.

Keywords

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