Cryotherapy Ablation Therapy for the Treatment of Esophageal Cancer: A Retrospective Review
Abstract
Background: Esophageal cancers are the sixth leading cause of cancer mortality and eighth most common cancer overall. The traditional therapies for esophageal adenocarcinoma are limited by adverse events. Cryoablation is a novel endoscopic technology and previous studies have demonstrated its lasting benefits and safety. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cryotherapy in the treatment of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods & Design: This study is a retrospective, single center chart review of 29 patients who had cryoablation procedures performed from 2013 to 2018. The subjects received cryotherapy ablation as an adjuvant, neoadjuvant, or palliative treatment. Basic descriptive calculations were computed and data analysis was performed using a two-tailed t-test to analyze remission and regression versus the stage of adenocarcinoma. Results: The study consisted of 26 males and 3 females with a median age of diagnosis of 72 years. The subjects underwent a total of 172 cryoablation treatments, with a median of four treatment cycles per person. Minor adverse events were seen in 51.7% of cryotherapy subjects. The regression rate between stage 0 and l adenocarcinoma and the remission rate between stage II and lll were significantly different based on a two-tailed t-test (p<.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated cryoablation to be a safe and effective treatment for esophageal adenocarcinoma, as only minor side effects and few complications were found. The data collected was extensive and standardized, yet limitations arose regarding lack of a control group and small sample size. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings and better evaluate this treatment option.