Abstract
Background : Definitive chemoradiotherapy is widely used for the treatment of esophageal cancer. However, detailed influence of chemoradiotherapy to radiated organs in not known. The current article aimed to determine the esophageal mucosal change after chemoradiotherapy of esophageal cancer.
Methods : Between January 2009 and September 2009, 58 patients after chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer (CRT group), 70 patients after endoscopic resection for esophageal cancer (ER group) and 105 patients without esophageal cancer (Non-esophageal cancer group) received endoscopic examination of a single endoscopist. Endoscopic appearances of esophageal mucosa in CRT group were compared with other two groups.
Results : Scattered greenish dots, a cluster of tortuous vessels, disappearance of intraepithelial papillary capillary loop (IPCL), destroyed arborescent and oblique running vessels were more frequently seen in CRT group compared to ER group and Non-esophageal cancer group (P<0.001). Association between abnormal mucosal findings and following findings are assessed ; radiation dose, interval between chemoradiotherapy and endoscopic examination, tumor category of esophageal cancer, esophagitis during chemoradiotherapy. Among these factors, only radiation dose of 60Gy was significantly associated with abnormal mucosal findings.
Conclusion : Typical endoscopic findings after chemoradiotherapy of esophageal cancer were scattered greenish dots, a cluster of tortuous vessels, disappearance of IPCL, destroyed arborescent and oblique running vessels. Endoscopic diagnosis should be made considering that these findings are common after chemoradiotherapy.
