thesis
Chemotherapy and Chemoradiotherapy Studies in Oesophageal Cancer
- Publication date
- 12 September 2008
- Publisher
- The aim of this thesis was, first, to explore the
use of preoperative chemoradiotherapy and palliative chemotherapy in
the treatment of oesophageal cancer. Furthermore, the effects of a
chemoradiotherapy regimen on histopathological and psychological and
social level were studied.
Chapter 2 provides a review of the literature on systemic treatment
for oesophageal cancer. An overview is given for preoperative and
postoperative chemotherapy, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, definitive
chemoradiotherapy, and palliative chemotherapy.
In Chapter 3 the efficacy and safety of preoperative chemoradiotherapy
consisting of carboplatin and paclitaxel and concurrent radiotherapy
for patients with resectable oesophageal cancer is studied.
Chapter 4 describes the histopathological effects of the above
mentioned chemoradiotherapy regimen and correlates the effect of
specific pathologic and clinical findings to overall survival.
In Chapter 5 the health related quality of life up to one year after
surgery, in patients with oesophageal cancer treated with curative
intent with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy consisting of the above
mentioned regimen followed by oesophagectomy is evaluated.
Finally, in Chapter 6 the analysis of a phase II study evaluating the
safety and efficacy of the combination of oxaliplatin and capecitabine
in patients with metastatic or local-regional unresectable carcinoma
of the oesophagus, oesophagogastric junction, and cardia is given. In
addition, the effect of this regimen of the patients’ well-being is
evaluated by performing a quality of life analysis on these patients
during the treatment.
The studies described in this thesis are summarized in Chapter 7.
Furthermore, potential directions for future studies are addressed.