Tumor Response in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery

Background/Aim: Neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery is the standard treatment for advanced esophageal cancer. This study aimed to evaluated the potential of F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography to predict the pathological therapeutic effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: We enrolled 68 patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by surgery. Retrospective analysis of the pathological therapeutic effects was performed. Results: The pathological therapeutic effect of good responders was significantly inversely associated with the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and with SUVmax reduction (both p<0.0001). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that lower post therapy SUVmax and reduction in SUVmax were independent prognostic factors for relapse-free (p=0.02) and overall survival (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy SUVmax and SUVmax reduction can predict the pathological therapeutic effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.