Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42458490›Full record

ArticleRadiation oncology (London, England)2026

Postoperative adjuvant therapy for pT3N0M0 esophageal carcinoma: does radiotherapy offer added benefit beyond chemotherapy?

Tian Yang, Xiang Wang, Jinyi Liu, Ruixia Ma, Lei Wu, Qifeng Wang, Yunxiang Qi, Yi Wang

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Article in Radiation oncology (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Tian YangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Precision Radiation in Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xiang WangDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Jinyi LiuDepartment of Phase I Clinical Trial Ward, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Ruixia MaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Precision Radiation in Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Lei WuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Precision Radiation in Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Qifeng WangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Precision Radiation in Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. wangqifeng@scszlyy.org.cn.
Yunxiang QiDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Precision Radiation in Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. qiyunxiang@scszlyy.org.cn.
Yi WangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Precision Radiation in Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. wangyi@scszlyy.org.cn.

Funding

the Key Research and Development Program of the Chengdu Science and Technology Bureau 2024-YF05-01147-SNthe Outstanding Young Investigator Fund of Sichuan Cancer Hospital YB2026025the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province 24ZDYF0363
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposeThe optimal postoperative adjuvant treatment for pathological T3N0M0 (pT3N0M0) thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC) remains unclear. This study evaluated whether adding radiotherapy to postoperative chemotherapy provides an additional survival benefit in these patients.

methodsWe retrospectively reviewed 1,090 TESCC patients treated at Sichuan Cancer Hospital (2009-2020). After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 356 patients who received adjuvant therapy were analyzed: 274 underwent surgery plus postoperative chemotherapy (S+POCT) and 82 received surgery plus postoperative chemoradiotherapy (S+POCRT). Propensity score matching balanced baseline characteristics between groups. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared, and survival predictors were assessed using a Cox proportional hazards model.

resultsBefore matching, the S+POCRT group had more female patients, and patients with vascular or perineural invasion were more likely to receive chemoradiotherapy. After matching (82 patients per group), baseline characteristics were balanced. The 5-year OS was 70.9% for the entire cohort. In the matched cohort, 5-year OS rates were 65.3% (S+POCT) versus 71.4% (S+POCRT), and 5-year DFS rates were 63.3% versus 70.9%, respectively. No statistically significant differences in OS or DFS were observed between the two groups. Multivariate analysis indicated that neither postoperative chemotherapy nor chemoradiotherapy independently improved OS. In the subgroup analysis, patients with tumors located in the lower third of the esophagus were more likely to derive a significant DFS benefit from S+POCRT but no subgroup showed a statistically significant OS benefit from S+POCRT compared with S+POCT.

conclusionsFor pT3N0M0 TESCC patients undergoing R0 resection without neoadjuvant therapy, postoperative chemotherapy alone provides comparable survival to chemoradiotherapy in the overall retrospective cohort. These findings suggest that the routine addition of postoperative radiotherapy to chemotherapy may not provide a clear survival advantage in the overall pT3N0M0 TESCC population. Further prospective studies are needed to identify patients who may benefit from postoperative radiotherapy. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Esophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaAgedChemotherapy, AdjuvantCombined Modality TherapyEsophagectomyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingPostoperative CarePrognosisRadiotherapy, AdjuvantRetrospective StudiesSurvival RateAdjuvant therapyChemoradiotherapyChemotherapyEsophageal cancerOverall survival

Identifiers

PMID42458490

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.