Patient Characteristics of Advanced and Metastatic Esophageal Cancer Treated in County- or Prefecture-Level Hospitals in High-Incidence Areas of Esophageal Cancer in China
10.3971/j.issn.1000-8578.2026.25.0959
- VernacularTitle:中国食管癌高发地区市县级医院晚期及转移性食管癌的患者特征
- Author:
Hongwei CAI
1
;
Dongmei AI
2
;
Xianjun ZHAO
3
;
Zunbei WEN
4
;
Xianru ZHANG
5
;
Jie XU
6
Author Information
1. Department of Oncology, Langzhong People's Hospital, Langzhong 637400, China.
2. Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Hengshui, Hengshui 053000, China.
3. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Linzhou Cancer Hospital, Linzhou 456550, China.
4. Department of Oncology, Gaozhou People's Hospital, Gaozhou 525200, China.
5. Department of Oncology, Tongling People's Hospital, Tongling 244000, China.
6. Department of Oncology, Haian People's Hospital, Haian 226600, China.
- Publication Type:EPIDEMICRESEARCH
- Keywords:
Advanced esophageal cancer;
High-incidence areas;
Hospitals in county- or prefecture-level cities;
Real-world study
- From:
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment
2026;53(8):609-615
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the general characteristics and treatment processes of patients with advanced esophageal cancer (EC) treated in county- or prefecture-level hospitals in high-incidence areas of EC in China. Methods In this retrospective observational study, electronic medical records of patients with advanced EC were collected from six medical centers in high-incidence areas. Eligible patients had advanced EC and whose first medical contact was documented between January 1, 2022, and June 1, 2024. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate patient characteristics and treatment plans. Results A total of 322 EC patients were included, of whom 230 were male (71.4%). The median age was 69 years. Among the 270 patients with available tumor diagnosis information, 264 patients (97.8%) presented with EC-specific symptoms. Of the 281 patients with pathological data, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was the predominant type, accounting for 254 cases (90.4%). Among 235 patients with information on the initial diagnostic method, 220 (93.6%) were diagnosed through endoscopy. A total of 216 patients (67.1%) with advanced disease progressed from early or locally advanced stages. Surgical treatment was performed in 126 patients (39.1%), of whom 123 (97.6%) achieved R0 resection, and 71 (56.3%) of them received perioperative treatment. Definitive chemoradiotherapy was administered to 116 patients (36.0%). The median disease-free survival for patients undergoing radical surgery was 13.9 months, while that for patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy was 10.6 months. At the advanced stage, lymph node metastasis was observed in 250 patients (77.6%), with mediastinal lymph node metastasis being the most common type. Organ metastasis occurred in 176 patients (54.7%), most frequently involving the lungs, liver, and bones. Most patients (79.8%, 229/287) were from the county or city where the hospoital was loacted, 77.9% (232/298) were covered by resident basic medical insurance, and 88.7% (274/309) of patients initiated advanced treatment at the participating hospitals. Conclusion This study reveals the unique epidemiological, clinical, and pathological characteristics of patients with EC in high-incidence areas of China. The results provide an important reference for further exploration of this disease and its management.
