Radiation-Induced Lymphopenia is a Causal Mediator of Survival After Chemoradiation Therapy for Esophagus Cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Radiation-induced lymphopenia (RIL) is common during chemoradiation therapy. Severe lymphopenia is associated with reduced survival. Proton beam therapy (PBT), with its substantially more compact dose distributions, spares circulating lymphocytes and immune organs at risk to a greater extent than photon therapy. Recent studies comparing PBT to photon radiation therapy, specifically intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for esophageal cancer (EC), showed that the incidence of grade 4 RIL (G4RIL) is significantly reduced among patients receiving PBT for EC. However, whether the extent of this reduction has a direct causative link with improved survival is unknown. This study applies causal mediation analysis to answer this question.

Methods and materials

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SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11382310 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature