Retrospective analysis of safety profile of high-dose concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract Background and purpose To evaluate the safety profile and efficacy of high-dose (60 Gy) concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) compared with standard-dose (50.4–54 Gy) CCRT. Materials and methods Patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) undergoing CCRT were eligible for a propensity score matched cohort (1:1 for high dose versus standard dose). Adverse events, local control (LC) and overall survival (OS) were assessed. Results A total of 380 patients with good balance in observed co-variables were enrolled. OS and LC rates of patients receiving high-dose CCRT were significantly higher than those receiving standard-dose CCRT, with the 10-year OS at 24% versus 13.3%, respectively. In contrast, there was a trend towards increased grades 2–3 acute oesophagitis toxicity among patients receiving high-dose versus standard-dose CCRT (37.4% versus 27.9%, respectively). None experienced grade 5 acute oesophagitis and grade 4 acute toxicities were rare. Similar rates of late radiation oesophagitis, radiation pneumonitis, gastrointestinal reactions and haematological toxicities were observed between patients receiving high-dose versus standard-dose CCRT. Six patients (3.2%) receiving high-dose CCRT experienced >grade 3 leucocytopaenia, and two (1.1%) received standard-dose CCRT, whereas none experienced >grade 3 thrombocytopaenia or anaemia. Three patients (2.3%) receiving high-dose CCRT died of infections caused by myelosuppression. Multivariate analysis showed that anaemia is a significant independent predictor of poor prognosis. Conclusions Compared with standard-dose CCRT, high-dose CCRT yielded more favourable local control and survival outcomes for patients with OSCC. Grades 2–3 acute oesophagitis toxicity in patients undergoing high-dose CCRT increased, whereas severe, life-threatening toxicities (>grade 3) did not.