Efficacy and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with paclitaxel-based or S-1 regimens in treating elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A multi-center propensity-score matched study

Background

Elderly patients with esophageal cancer can benefit from concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). However, the optimal concurrent chemotherapy regimen remains undetermined. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of CCRT with paclitaxel-based or S-1 regimens in treating elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods

From January 2016 to November 2022, a total of 349 patients aged 70 and above with ESCC were included. The patient population was divided into two treatment groups: patients receiving paclitaxel-based CCRT were allocated to the TP group, and those receiving S-1 regimen CCRT were allocated to the S-1 group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance potential biases. Survival outcomes, overall response rate, and treatment-related toxicities were assessed.

Results

After PSM, there were 82 patients in each group. The median follow up of the surviving patients was 42.6 months (IQR 28.0–58.8 months). The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate (71.4% vs 65.4%; log-rank P = 0.010) and progression-free survival (PFS) rate (64.4% vs 58.0%; log-rank P = 0.048) were significantly higher in the TP group. Compared with the S-1 group, the TP group experienced a higher rate of grade 3 and above hematologic toxicities, such as leukopenia (47.6% vs 15.9%, P < 0.001) and neutropenia (35.4% vs 6.1%, P < 0.001). One patient in the TP group and two patients in the S-1 group had grade 5 toxic effects.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that paclitaxel-based CCRT was well tolerated in elderly patients with ESCC and provided significant survival benefits over S-1 regimen.