Among many various factors affecting the outcome of cancer treatment one can distinguish patient, tumor- and treatment-related factors. The association of patient-related factors and results of a combined modality therapy of esophageal cancer has not been extensively explored. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of patient-related constitutional and environmental factors on early results of combined modality therapy of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Material and methods: We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data of 84 patients with esophageal cancer randomly assigned to a combined modality treatment. We evaluated the relationship between early outcome of neoadjuvant therapy (overall toxic events, serious toxic events, treatment-related mortality, clinical and pathological response to the treatment) or surgical treatment (postoperative morbidity, mortality and curative resections - R0) and constitutional (age, gender, height, body mass index, Karnofski Performance Status - KPS, blood type) or environmental (inhabitation, smoking duration and intensity, frequency and amount of alcohol consumption and occupational exposure) patient-related factors.
Results: Significantly more neoadjuvant therapy related deaths were found in patients with KPS 70-80 (p=0.0016). Interestingly, significantly more toxic events (p=0.0034) after neoadjuvant therapy and a higher postoperative morbidity rate (p=0.0293) were observed in nonsmokers. Similarly, significantly more toxic events (p=0.0029) after neoadjuvant therapy and a higher postoperative mortality rate (p=0.0405) were found in light drinkers.
Conclusions: Smoking and consumption of excessive amount of alcohol may attenuate toxic effect of neoadiuvant and surgical therapy in patients treated due to esophageal cancer. The information regarding the mentioned above addictions should not result in giving up an attempt to provide a curative treatment.