Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 658: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Radiation Dose Escalation in Definitive Radiation Therapy between Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma of Esophageal Cancer

Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 658: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Radiation Dose Escalation in Definitive Radiation Therapy between Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma of Esophageal Cancer Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers16030658 Authors: Yu Liou Tien-Li Lan Chin-Chun Lan Esophageal cancer, ranked as the eighth most prevalent cancer globally, is characterized by a low survival rate and poor prognosis. Concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) is the standard therapy in the non-surgical treatment of localized carcinoma of the esophagus. Nevertheless, the radiation doses employed in CCRT remain notably lower compared to the curative definite chemoradiation therapy utilized in the management of other carcinomas. In order to increase the local control rates and enhance the treatment outcomes, several clinical trials have used high-dose radiation to analyze the effect of dose escalation. Despite the integration of technically advanced RT schemes such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), the results of these trials have failed to demonstrate a significant improvement in overall survival or local progression-free survival. In this review, we investigated previous clinical trials to determine the ineffectiveness of radiation dose escalation in the context of CCRT for esophageal cancer. We aim to clarify the factors contributing to the limited efficacy of escalated radiation doses in improving patient outcomes. Furthermore, we delve into recent research endeavors, e...
Source: Cancers - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research