Preoperative therapy in locally advanced esophageal cancer

Table 1 Salient features of randomized controlled trials addressing the role of preoperative radiotherapy followed by surgery versus surgery alone in the management of esophageal cancer

Ref.	Study period	Treatment	No. of patients	Histology	Complete resection	Local recurrence rate	Operative mortality	5-yr OS	Conclusion
Launois et al[5], 1981	1973-1976	40 Gy RT + Surgery	67	SCC	74%	NA	22.6%	9.5%	No significant benefit of pre-op RT
		Surgery	57	SCC	78%	NA	23.4%	11.5%
Gignoux et al[8], 1987	1976-1982	33 Gy RT + Surgery	NA	SCC	43%	46%	NA	11%	No significant benefit of pre-op RT
		Surgery	NA	SCC	55%	67%	NA	10%
Wang et al[7], 1989	1977-1985	40 Gy RT + Surgery	104	SCC	74%	41%	5%	5%	Higher pre-op RT dose or post-op RT required
		Surgery	102	SCC	65%	34%	6%	30%
Arnott et al[4], 1993	1979-1983	20 Gy RT + Surgery	90	SCC/AC	76%	NA	NA	9%	No benefit of low dose RT
		Surgery	86	SCC/AC	72%	NA	NA	17%
Nygaard et al[6], 1992	1983-1988	35 Gy RT + Surgery	NA	SCC	34%	NA	NA	21%	Beneficial effect of pre-op RT
		Surgery	NA	SCC	32%	NA	NA	9%

SCC: Squamous cell cancer; AC: Adenocarcinoma; RT: Radiotherapy; NA: Not available; OS: Overall survival.