Influence of preoperative chemotherapy-induced leukopenia on survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: exploratory analysis of JCOG9907

• Published in: Esophagus : official journal of the Japan Esophageal Society Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 41 - 48
• Main Authors: Hara, Hiroki, Mizusawa, Junki, Hironaka, Shuichi, Kato, Ken, Daiko, Hiroyuki, Abe, Tetsuya, Nakamura, Kenichi, Ando, Nobutoshi, Kitagawa, Yuko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - surgery; Chemotherapy; Clinical outcomes; Esophageal cancer; Esophageal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Esophageal Neoplasms - pathology; Esophageal Neoplasms - surgery; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma - drug therapy; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma - surgery; Fluorouracil - adverse effects; Gastroenterology; Humans; Leukopenia; Leukopenia - chemically induced; Leukopenia - drug therapy; Mastectomy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Side effects; Squamous cell carcinoma; Surgical Oncology; Thoracic Surgery; Treatment Outcome; Cis-platinum; Chemotherapy-induced leukopenia; Esophageal cancer; Preoperative chemotherapy; Fluorouracil
• ISSN: 1612-9059; 1612-9067
• DOI: 10.1007/s10388-020-00752-7

Background
The relationship between chemotherapy-induced leukopenia (CIL) and survival has not been investigated in patients undergoing preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We analyzed the association of CIL with survival outcomes using data from JCOG9907 on the efficacy of preoperative chemotherapy for stage II/III ESCC.
Methods
Preoperative chemotherapy consisted of two courses of 5-FU (800 mg/m
2
days 1–5) and cisplatin (80 mg/m
2
day 1) repeated every 3 weeks. Patients in the preoperative chemotherapy arm receiving at least one course of chemotherapy and undergoing subsequent surgery in JCOG9907 were divided into two subgroups: CIL ( +), those with grade 2–4 leukopenia at least once during preoperative chemotherapy; and CIL (−), those with grades 0–1. The association of CIL with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed.
Results
Among 164 patients enrolled in JCOG9907, 152 patients were included in this analysis, 52 in CIL ( +) and 100 patients in CIL (−) subgroups. The 3-year OS for CIL ( +) was inferior to that for CIL (−) (48.1% vs. 73.9%); hazard ratio (HR) = 1.94 (95% CI 1.18–3.16,
P
 < .01). For 3-year PFS, a similar tendency was observed (44.2% vs. 55.8%; HR = 1.38 (95% CI 0.88–2.17,
P
 = .16). Multivariable analysis revealed that CIL was not an independent factor for OS (HR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.63–2.07,
P
 = .67).
Conclusion
We showed that CIL during preoperative chemotherapy might not be a prognostic factor in patients with ESCC.