121P - Treatment patterns and outcomes of recurrent/metastatic esophageal cancer: Real-world data

Background

Pattern of palliative treatment of advanced esophageal cancers varies globally. With the approval of specific chemo-immunotherapy combinations, the current treatment patterns and outcomes have become important. This study provides a real-world data on treatment patterns and outcomes of recurrent/metastatic esophageal cancers.

Methods

We included all consecutive advanced (metastatic or locally advanced not amenable to curative therapy) esophageal cancers treated from 2019 to 2021 at a tertiary cancer hospital. Data regarding patients’ demography, tumor characteristics, treatment pattern and outcomes were collected from retrospective chart review.

Results

A total of 128 patients with esophageal cancers received treatment with palliative intent. The majority of patients were male (62%), with a median age of 60 years. Squamous cell carcinoma was the predominant histological pattern (84%). Twenty-eight percent of patients had recurrent/metastatic disease post curative intent treatment, and 42% of them were locoregional recurrences. Among patients with distant metastasis, 32% had metastases in non-regional lymph nodes, 28% in the lung and 17% in the liver. Twenty-one (16 %) of the patients were advised for best supportive care alone, mainly due to poor performance status. Further, 107 (84%) of patients received at least one line of treatment. Common chemotherapy regimens used were FOLFOX in 45%, and paclitaxel/carboplatin combination in 37% of patients. Fifteen percent of the patients received single agent chemotherapy (taxane or platinum). The overall response rate in first line was 46% with a median progression free survival of 4.9 months (95% CI 4.1-5.6 months). Of the patients who progressed on first line of therapy, 54% of the patients received any form of second line treatment.

Conclusions

This is a real-world data from a tertiary cancer centre in developing country. Despite recent updates in esophageal cancer treatment and the inclusion of newer therapies over time, cost and availability of medications have limited the incorporation of the same in clinical practice in developing countries. There is an unmet need to improve outcomes in both early and advanced stage esophageal cancers.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.