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Issue: Vol. 56
Section: Research Article
DOI: 10.47972/vjcts.v56i.1796
Date Published: 31/07/2026
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Nguyen, T. N. A., Ngo, D. H., Nguyen, M. T., Ho, T. H., Phung, T. Q., & Nguyen, T. C. (2026). Evaluation of the treatment outcomes of preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with stage ii, iii esophageal cancer at 175 Military Hospital. The Vietnam Journal of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, 56, 83 - 93. https://doi.org/10.47972/vjcts.v56i.1796

Evaluation of the treatment outcomes of preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with stage ii, iii esophageal cancer at 175 Military Hospital

Thi Nhu An Nguyen1, Dang Huong Ngo1, Minh Tuan Nguyen1, Thi Hong Ho1, The Quang Phung1, Thanh Cong Nguyen1,
1 175 Military Hospital

Main Article Content

Abstract

Objectives: To describe some clinical and paraclinical characteristics and evaluate the treatment outcomes of preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with stage II, III esophageal cancer (EC) at 175 Military Hospital.


Subjects and methods: A descriptive retrospective combined prospective study on 36 patients with stage II, III esophageal cancer who received preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy with the weekly Paclitaxel/Carboplatin regimen (Paclitaxel 50 mg/m², Carboplatin AUC 2) combined with radiotherapy of 41.4 Gy/23 Fx, followed by surgery 4–8 weeks later, from January 2021 to April 2026.


Results: The mean age was 60.67 ± 7.79 years; 97.2% were male; 97.2% of patients had a history of smoking and/or alcohol use. Dysphagia was observed in 100% of patients, mostly grade 2 (58.3%); all patients reported weight loss. Pathology was squamous cell carcinoma in 100% of cases; the mean tumor length was 5.52 ± 1.18 cm; 88.9% were T3 and 11.1% T4; stage III accounted for 83.3%. After chemoradiotherapy, the symptomatic response rate was 91.7%, and the response rate according to RECIST 1.1 was 88.9% (complete response 13.9%, partial response 75.0%). 63.9% of patients underwent surgery, with an R0 resection rate of 95.7%; the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate was 39.1%. The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 24 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 47 months. Overall survival (OS) at 12, 24, and 36 months was 96.8%, 93.2%, and 69.9%, respectively; disease-free survival (DFS) at 12, 24, and 36 months was 79.2%, 48.4%, and 36.3%, respectively. The surgical group had a median OS of 51 months and median DFS of 38 months, markedly longer than the non-surgical group (OS 31 months, DFS 17 months). Toxicity was mostly grade 1–2: esophagitis 94.4%, dermatitis 86.1%, pneumonitis 69.4%, leukopenia 50.0% (only 2.8% grade 3); no grade 4 toxicity was observed.


Conclusion: Preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy with the weekly Paclitaxel/Carboplatin regimen combined with radiotherapy of 41.4 Gy/23 Fx is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for patients with stage II, III esophageal cancer at 175 Military Hospital.

Keywords

Esophageal cancer, preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Article Details

References

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