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

Table 6 Demographic and clinical characteristics of 23 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and direct gastric invasion according to treatment modality, n (%)

Variable	CRT (n = 15)	CRT followed by surgery (n = 5)	Supportive care (n = 3)	P value
Age in years (mean ± SD)	58.5 ± 9.9	57.2 ± 4.3	62.2 ± 14.1	0.65
< 58.1	7 (46.7)	3 (60.0)	1 (33.3)	> 0.99
≥ 58.1	8 (53.3)	2 (40.0)	2 (66.7)
Sex				0.35
Male	15 (100.0)	4 (80.0)	3 (100.0)
Female	0 (0.0)	1 (20.0)	0 (0.0)
T category				0.70
T2	1 (6.7)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
T3	8 (53.3)	5 (100.0)	2 (66.7)
T4a	2 (13.3)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
T4b	4 (26.7)	0 (0.0)	1 (33.3)
N category				0.07
N0	1 (6.7)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
N1	7 (46.7)	1 (20.0)	0 (0.0)
N2	1 (6.7)	3 (60.0)	0 (0.0)
N3	6 (40.0)	2 (20.0)	3 (100.0)
M category				0.38
M0	10 (66.7)	5 (100.0)	2 (66.7)
M1	5 (33.3)	0 (0.0)	1 (33.3)
Clinical stage				0.49
II	2 (13.3)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
III	5 (33.3)	4 (80.0)	1 (33.3)
IV	8 (53.3)	1 (20.0)	2 (66.7)
Histological grade				0.32
Grade 2, moderately differentiated	10 (66.7)	4 (80.0)	1 (33.3)
Grade 3, poorly differentiated	5 (33.3)	1 (20.0)	2 (66.7)
Tumor location				0.14
Upper to lower or middle to lower third of the esophagus	3 (20.0)	0 (0.0)	2 (66.7)
Lower third of the esophagus	12 (80.0)	5 (100.0)	1 (33.3)
Tumor length, cm (median, IQR)	9.0 (7.0–11.7)	7.0 (6.6–10.1)	13.0 (7.7–19)	0.22
Serum albumin, g/dL (mean ± SD)	3.9 ± 0.4	3.8 ± 0.8	3.62	0.68
ECOG performance status				0.13
0	0 (0.0)	2 (40.0)	0 (0.0)
1	12 (80.0)	4 (60.0)	2 (66.7)
2	3 (20.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (33.3)

Continuous variables were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and categorical variables were compared using Fisher’s exact test. CRT: Chemoradiotherapy; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; IQR: Interquartile range.