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

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic effects of concurrent preoperative beta-elemene treatment in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received concurrent chemoradiotherpay followed by surgery. Method: The clinicopathological parameters and outcomes of 102 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were studied and compared between patients treated with and without beta-elemene. Results: beta-elemene treatment could prolong the overall survival and progression-free survival. The 3-year overall survival rate was also increased by beta-elemene treatment. beta-elemene treatment was an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival and progression-free survival. Occurrence of toxicities associated with chemoradiotherapy was decreased by beta-elemene treatment. Conclusions: Findings in this study suggested that beta-elemene treatment provided survival benefits and reduced chemoradiotherapy-associated toxicities in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.