Beta-elemene treatment is associated with improved outcomes of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

• DOI: 10.1016/j.suronc.2017.07.002
• Publication Date: 2017-07-13T17:47:01Z
• Authors: Zhiwei Chang; Ming Gao; Weijie Zhang; Lijie Song; Yongxu Jia; Yanru Qin
• Keywords: Elemene; Chemoradiotherapy

To investigate the therapeutic effects of concurrent preoperative β-elemene treatment in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received concurrent chemoradiotherpay followed by surgery.The clinicopathological parameters and outcomes of 102 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were studied and compared between patients treated with and without β-elemene.β-elemene treatment could prolong the overall survival and progression-free survival. The 3-year overall survival rate was also increased by β-elemene treatment. β-elemene treatment was an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival and progression-free survival. Occurrence of toxicities associated with chemoradiotherapy was decreased by β-elemene treatment.Findings in this study suggested that β-elemene treatment provided survival benefits and reduced chemoradiotherapy-associated toxicities in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.