Clinical outcomes of elderly patients (≥70 years) with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent esophagectomy or chemoradiotherapy: A retrospective analysis from a single cancer institute

A retrospective analysis was conducted to investigate outcomes of elderly patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent surgery or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). We performed a retrospective review of the records of elderly patients (≥70 years) with resectable ESCC who underwent esophagectomy or CRT between January 2009 and March 2013. According to the main treatment strategy, patients were allocated into either surgery group or CRT group. Overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival and progression-free survival were calculated by the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed by the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model, respectively. A total of 188 patients were enrolled. Eighty-eight patients underwent esophagectomy, and 100 patients underwent CRT. The median age of the patients was 73 years (range, 70–81 years) in the surgery group and 76 years (range, 70–88 years) in the CRT group. The median survival time (MST) for the whole cohort was 25.6 months, and 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 69.2%, 36.1%, and 21.9%, respectively. The MST in the surgery group and the CRT group was 36 months and 15 months, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates in the surgery group were 82.4%, 49.0%, and 33.3%, compared to 58.0%, 24.1%, and 7.8% in the CRT group (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that lymph node status (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.598, P = 0.011) and treatment strategies (HR = 0.538, P = 0.001) were independent and significant prognostic factors for OS in elderly patients. Surgery was the main treatment strategy for elderly patients with ESCC. Advanced age and comorbidities should not be the cause for elderly patients to avoid aggressive regimens. Delivered therapeutic approaches should be individualized on the basis of carefully evaluating the balance of benefits, risks, and life expectancy.