Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacies and acute toxicity between concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) and radiotherapy alone (RT) among elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal cancers. METHODS: Patients who were aged >70 years and who had locally advanced esophageal cancers were recruited from the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 2010.1 to 2016.1. Patients' complete response rates (CRR),partial response rates (PRR),disease control rates (DCR),as well as progression-free survival (PFS),overall survival (OS) and acute adverse reactions were evaluated and followed by analysis of prognostic factors. RESULTS: 82 patients were recruited for our study. The CRR in the CRT group (33.3%) was significantly higher than that in the RT group (14.5%,P=0.049). There was no significant difference in PRR and DCR between the two groups. (P=0.058,0.064). The median PFS and the proportion of patients with PFS ≥ 1,2,and 3 years in the CRT group was significantly higher than that in the RT group(P=0.007). The median OS and the proportion of patients with OS ≥ 1,2,and 3 years in the CRT group was significantly higher than that in the RT group (P=0.012). Analysis of Univariants data show that different treatment options and CRR after treatment mainly affected PFS and OS. Multivariate analyses show that CRR was an independent prognostic factor for PFS,treatment plan and CRR were independent prognostic factor for OS (all P<0.05). Some acute adverse reactions in the CRT group:including nausea and vomiting,leukopenia,thrombocytopenia,were significantly more frequent than the RT group(all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Chemo-radiotherapy can be used as a treatment option for elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma,and its efficacy was better than that of radiotherapy alone. During the treatment process,close attention should be paid to patients' adverse reactions.

Key words: elderly, esophageal cancer, short-term efficacy, concurrent chemo-radiotherapy