Prognosis analysis of esophageal carcinoma patients with tumor loco-regional recurrence after curative surgery

Objective: To evaluate the outcome of radiotherapy for recurrent esophageal cancer after surgery and to determine the prognostic factors. Methods: From Jan 2005 to Dec 2009, 93 patients of esophageal carcinoma with loco-regional recurrence as the first site of failure after surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival. Logrank test was used to evaluate the difference between the groups. Multivariate survival analysis was conducted using a Cox proportional hazard regression model with a backward stepwise stepwise procedure. Results: The overall survival rates at 1, 2 and 3 years were 40.9%, 10.1% and 6.7%, respectively, but with a median survival time of 11.0 months (95% CI 9.4-12.6). In univariate analysis, age, PS, radiation dose and retreatment methods were independent prognostic factors. In multivariate analysis, only radiation dose and retreatment methods were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusions: The prognosis of patients with post-operative loco-regional recurrence of esophageal cancer is poor. However, a long-term survival maybe expected by definitive chemoradiotherapy. (authors)