ArticleBMC cancer2025
A retrospective cohort study on radio/chemotherapy and survival following esophageal fistula in esophageal cancer patients with prior radiotherapy.
Article in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Treatment patterns and prognostic factors of radiation-associated esophageal fistula in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study.Journal of thoracic disease · 2026Article
- Targeting TPX2 to Enhance Metastasis Control and Radiosensitivity in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through PI3K/AKT Pathway Modulation.Iranian journal of biotechnology · 2026Article
- Pathological complete response in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma complicated by malignant fistula via neoadjuvant immunotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, and nutritional support: a case report.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
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5 authors.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectiveRadiotherapy is a common treatment for patients with esophageal cancer. Esophageal fistula (perforation) is a serious complication in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. It is unclear how radio/chemotherapy post-fistula may affect survival in patients with malignant esophageal fistulae with radiotherapy pre-fistula. We sought to evaluate radio/chemotherapy and survival post-fistula in patients with esophageal cancer and radiotherapy pre-fistula.
methodsIn a retrospective cohort study, we reviewed post-fistula treatments and survival in 98 patients with esophageal cancer and prior radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy between 2010/6 and 2023/5 in a regional cancer care centre in Zhengzhou, China. The primary outcome was survival time (months) post-fistula. The inverse of the probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied in Cox regression models in assessing the association between post-fistula radio/chemotherapy and survival accounting for baseline clinical risk factors.
resultsThe median survival time post-fistula was 3.5 months (inter-quartile range: 1.4-7.8 months). Compared to patients without radio/chemotherapy post-fistula, longer survival was observed in patients with radiotherapy [adjusted HR 0.40 (95% CI 0.20-0.80)], chemotherapy [adjusted HR 0.24 (0.08-0.72)], or chemo and radiotherapy [adjusted HR 0.10 (0.05-0.19)] post-fistula. Among patients with radiotherapy post-fistula, longer survival was observed in patients with both chemo and radiotherapy [adjusted HR 0.18 (0.08-0.36)] than with radiotherapy only.
conclusionsIn patients with malignant esophageal fistulae and radiotherapy pre-fistula, continued radiotherapy post-fistula may improve survival, and combined radio/chemotherapy may be beneficial to optimal survival.
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