Clinical effect analysis of tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil concurrent chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal cancer in elderly patient

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and side effects of tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil concurrent chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal cancer in elderly patient.

MethodsThe clinical data of elderly patients with esophageal cancer were retrospectively analyzed, which included 35 patients treated with radiotherapy alone and 35 cases treated with concurrent chemotherapy.The two groups were treated with three-dimensional conformal intensity modulated radiotherapy.The concurrent chemotherapy group was additionally treated with single agent chemotherapy with tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil.The short-term efficacy was evaluated according to the criteria for evaluating solid tumors (complete remission, partial remission, disease stability and disease progression), and the side effects were evaluated using NCI-CTC.The two groups were followed up for 2 years, the median overall survival time and overall survival rate were compared between two groups.

ResultsThe total effective rate in concurrent chemotherapy group (85.71%) was higher than that in chemotherapy alone group (60.0%) (P < 0.05).Two groups did not appear because of the adverse reactions to death or termination of the treatment of patients, patients could tolerate, and the differences of the incidence rates of grade Ⅲ ~ Ⅳ bone marrow suppression and radiation esophagitis between two groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05).During two years of following up, one case in concurrent chemotherapy and 3 cases in chemotherapy alone group losed to follow up.The time of median survival time and 2-year survival rate in concurrent chemotherapy group (24 months and 73.53%) were higher than those in chemotherapy alone group (18 months and 46.88%), respectively (P < 0.05).

ConclusionsThe tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil concurrent chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal cancer in elderly patient has good short-term effects and less side effects, which can significantly improve the overall survival rate of elderly patients.