Does preoperative chemoradiation therapy improve early survival after esophagectomy for patients with clinical stage III adenocarcinoma of the esophagus?
Patients with clinical stage III adenocarcinoma of the esophagus do not appear to gain an early overall or disease-free survival advantage when treated with P-CRT followed by surgery as compared with surgery alone. However, long-term follow-up is needed. A large, prospective, randomized trial is warranted to address the question of whether P-CRT offers any survival benefit or impact on pattern of recurrence in patients undergoing esophagectomy for locally advanced disease.
The inexpensive 2-km walking test may be more useful when evaluating the quality of life and work ability, compared to the more expensive direct measurement of one's cardiorespiratory fitness in a laboratory.