Direct gastric invasion is associated with poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma involving the lower-third esophagus

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of 23 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and direct gastric invasion

Variable	n (%)
Age in years (mean ± SD)	58.7 ± 9.3
Sex
Male	22 (95.7)
Female	1 (4.3)
Smoking	20 (87.0)
Alcohol consumption	22 (95.7)
Betel nut chewing	14 (60.9)
T category
T2	1 (4.3)
T3	15 (65.2)
T4a	2 (8.7)
T4b	5 (21.7)
N category
N0	1 (4.3)
N1	8 (34.8)
N2	4 (17.4)
N3	10 (43.5)
M category
M0	17 (73.9)
M1	6 (26.1)
Clinical stage
II	2 (8.7)
III	10 (43.5)
IV	11 (47.8)
Histological differentiation
Grade 2, moderately differentiated	15 (65.2)
Grade 3, poorly differentiated	8 (34.8)
Tumor location
Upper to lower third of the esophagus	1 (4.3)
Middle to lower third of the esophagus	4 (17.4)
Lower third of the esophagus	18 (78.3)
Tumor length in cm (median, IQR)	9.0 (7.0-11.7)
Serum albumin in g/dL (mean ± SD)	3.9 ± 0.5
ECOG performance status
0	2 (8.7)
1	17 (73.9)
2	4 (17.4)
Treatment
CRT	15 (65.2)
CRT followed by surgery	5 (21.7)
Best supportive care	3 (13.0)

CRT: Chemoradiotherapy; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; IQR: Interquartile range; IQR: Interquartile range.