Clinical trial of thalidomide combined with radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer

Table 1 Relationship between pre-radiotherapy serum vascular endothelial growth factor level and clinical characteristics of esophageal cancer patients

Variable	Cases	VEGF (ng/L)	t (F)	P value
Sex			1.11	> 0.05
Male	62	120.78 ± 44.72
Female	24	135.92 ± 61.00
Age, yr			0.89	> 0.05
< 55	71	126.96 ± 51.37
≥ 55	15	115.73 ± 42.47
Lesion site			0.40	> 0.05
Cervical and upper thoracic segment	22	131.00 ± 59.42
Middle thoracic segment	36	119.50 ± 36.04
Lower thoracic segment	28	127.36 ± 57.71
Histopathologic type			3.40	< 0.01
Squamous cell carcinoma	81	122.26 ± 45.91
Adenocarcinoma	3	196.67 ± 115.14
Small cell carcinoma	2	128.50 ± 19.09
X-ray pathologic types			0.47	> 0.05
Marrow	76	126.89 ± 52.3
Massive	5	120.40 ± 14.00
Ulcer	3	94.67 ± 23.07
Narrow	2	110.00 ± 31.11
Primary foci			4.55	< 0.01
T1 + T2	29	99.66 ± 22.64
T3 + T4	57	137.89 ± 54.95
Lymph node metastasis			7.50	< 0.01
N0	30	89.80 ± 12.80
N1-2	56	144.50 ± 51.69
Distant metastasis			1.02	> 0.05
M0	65	128.15 ± 49.71
M1	21	115.23 ± 50.36
Clinical stage			2.52	< 0.01
I + II	60	115.08 ± 39.76
III + IV	26	149.40 ± 63.20

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level in 86 esophageal cancer (EC) cases was significantly correlated with primary tumor size, lymph node metastasis, histopathologic type, and clinical stage of EC (P < 0.01), but was not correlated with lesion site, distant metastasis, X-ray pathologic type, gender, or age (P > 0.05).

Table 2 Dynamic changes in vascular endothelial growth factor levels in 83 evaluable esophageal cancer patients

Group	n	Before radiotherapy	During radiotherapy	After radiotherapy
Drug group	32	98.56 ± 28.74	122.69 ± 43.03d	109.53 ± 32.48b
Non-drug group	51	141.76 ± 53.78	100.94 ± 22.61f	100.31 ± 23.45

^bP < 0.01 vs during radiotherapy (drug group);

^dP < 0.01 vs before radiotherapy (drug group);

^fP < 0.01 vs before radiotherapy (non-drug group).

Table 3 Response rate of 83 evaluable esophageal cancer patients n (%)

Group	n	CR	PR	MR	NC
Drug group	32	10 (31.25)	13 (40.63)	7 (21.87)	2 (6.25)
Non-drug group	51	26 (50.98)	14 (27.45)	7(13.73)	4 (7.84)

CR: Complete response; MR: Minor response; PR: Partial response; NC: No change.

Table 4 Side effects in 83 evaluable esophageal cancer cases

Side effects	Group		χ2	P value
	Drug group	Non-drug group
Dizziness or burnout	20	8	19.28	0.000
Somnolence	4	0	-	0.019
Grade III-IV esophagitis	4	6	0.06	0.812
Grade III-IV leukocyte decrease	2	5	0.03	0.864
Grade III-IV platelet decrease	1	3	0.02	0.961
Grade III-IV nausea and vomiting	3	14	2.913	0.089
Anaphylaxis	0	0	-	1.000