To provide comprehensive efficacy and safety profiles of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) versus surgery alone in resectable oesophageal carcinoma.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) has been shown to be better than surgery alone in patients with resectable oesophageal carcinoma, but higher quality evidence is needed as new findings have emerged regarding this issue.Previous evidence-based findings and the current guidelines have not established a survival advantage of NCRT over NCT or an acceptable safety profile of the addition of radiotherapy to NCT; whether NCRT or NCT is more effective for the treatment of adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus is unclear.This study aims to provide comprehensive efficacy and safety profiles of NCRT versus NCT versus surgery alone in resectable oesophageal carcinoma.
Patients with histologically documented untreated SCC or adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus or gastro-oesophageal junction. Patients clinically staged as stage I-III (T1-3, N0-1 and M0) as assessed by a contrast-enhanced multislice computed tomography (CT) scan, positron emission tomography, or endoscopic ultrasonography. Patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 2.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients had received any previous treatment for oesophageal cancer. Patients who were unsuitable for surgery because of comorbidities. Patients had evidence of distant metastatic disease by history and physical examination.
