THE EFFICACY OF A NEWLY DEVELOPED RESPONSE ASSESSMENT OF CHEMOTHERAPY FOR ESOPHAGEAL CANCER USING ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY (EUS)

Abstract

Determination of the response to anticancer chemotherapy against esophageal cancer is performed using the images of X-ray and/or endoscopy, but it is not very objective. Therefore, we determined the response to preoperative anticancer chemotherapy against esophageal cancer in 18 cases using endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) which can demonstrate intra- and extra-mural tumor expansion.
Determination of the response using EUS was performed in 12 cases by the reduction rate of the maximum area of the tumor, and in 6 cases by the reduction rate of tumor volume which is defined by accumulating the tumor areas detected at intervals of 1 cm from the anal end to the oral end of the tumor.
Determination using either X-ray or endoscopy could not be done in cases with sever stenosis in the tumor. However, determination using EUS could be done in all 18 cases.
Results suggest that EUS can detemine not only the intra and extra mural tumor expansion but also anal and oral expansion of the tumor, and that EUS can objectively determine the response to anticancer chemotherapy against esophageal cancer.