The benefit of concurrent chemotherapy with radiotherapy for esophageal cancer is limited in Asian patients aged 80 years or older: a SEER database analysis

Purpose: To evaluate the benefit of concurrent chemotherapy with radiotherapy (RT) for esophageal cancer in Asian patients aged ≥ 80 years using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Materials and methods: Among more than 7000 patients with squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma who were treated by RT without surgery for esophageal cancer in the SEER database, 2047 patients aged ≥ 80 years were analyzed. Patients who received chemoradiotherapy (CRT group) and patients who received RT alone (RT alone group) were matched with a propensity score. Results: The median observation period for survivors was 57 months. The 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates in all patients were 15.2% and 8.5%, respectively. The 3-year and 5-year cause-specific survival rates in all patients were 20.8% and 14.5%, respectively. After propensity score matching, the overall survival rate in the CRT group was significantly higher than that in the RT alone group (5-year overall survival rates: 11.9% and 3.2%, respectively, p < 0.001). In 108 Asian or Pacific Islander patients, there was no significant difference (5-year overall survival rates: 13.5% and 0%, respectively, p = 0.291), although the overall survival rate in the CRT group was significantly higher than that in the RT alone group in any other race. Conclusions: It is controversial whether CRT is beneficial for Asian or Pacific Islander patients aged 80 years or older with esophageal cancer based on Analysis of data in SEER database.