Complete clinical (CC) responders to definite chemoradiation or radiation therapy (CRT/RT) for esophageal cancer (EC): A survival analysis.

e14560 Background: For pts with EC being treated with definite CRT/RT, predictors of outcome are baseline nutritional status and CC response to CRT. As data concerning predictors of outcome for CC responders are lacking, we tried to identify them. Methods: Among 402 consecutive pts with EC who underwent definite CRT/RT in our institution from 1/1998 to 12/2003, 110 were found CC responders, and were retrospectively reviewed. Baseline staging included endoscopy with biopsies, and CT-scan and/or EUS. CC responders were defined as pts without evidence of tumor on morphological examination with biopsies, 4 to 6 weeks after treatment. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using log-rank and Cox proportional hazards models, and survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Pts were staged according to EUS-AJCC staging (stage I-II=39, stage III-IVa=37, ukn=34) and/or CT staging (stage I-II=54, stage III-IVa=32, ukn=24). Baseline pt and tumor characteristics were as follows:...