Toxicity and Local-Regional Control of Two Fractionation Schedules with Concurrent Chemotherapy and Intraluminal Brachytherapy for Oesophageal Carcinoma: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Introduction: Oesophageal cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide and the sixth highest cause of cancer-related mortality. Radiation plays an important role in the multimodality treatment of carcinoma of the oesophagus. Aim: To compare locoregional control and toxicity of two External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) fractionation schedules of concurrent chemoradiotherapy and high-dose intraluminal brachytherapy in patients with oesophageal carcinoma at a single institute. Materials and Methods: The present study was a pilot study including a total of 33 participants with histologically confirmed oesophageal cancer. Patients were prospectively randomised into two groups. Arm I: EBRT with a total dose of 46 Gy delivered in 23 fractions at a rate of 2 Gy per fraction over 4.3 weeks, along with Concurrent Injection of Cisplatin (CDDP) 100 mg/m2 on days 1 and 22, followed by Intraluminal Radiation Therapy (ILRT) with 6 Gy per session weekly. Arm II: EBRT with a total dose of 30 Gy delivered in 10 fractions at a rate of 3 Gy per fraction over two weeks and CDDP 100 mg/m2 on day 1 only. The primary endpoint of this study was to compare the locoregional response and toxicities (both acute and late) in the two arms at the end of radiotherapy and six months. Results: At the end of the two-month follow-up, no statistically significant difference was found in the response between the two arms (p-value=0.2697). Dysphagia relief was comparable in both arms; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p-value=0.9235). Conclusion: The responses in both arms were comparable, and further randomised trials with larger sample sizes should be encouraged.