Lower Radiation Dose Linked to Better Survival in Esophageal Cancer

Patients with resected esophageal cancer receiving 41.4 Gy of neoadjuvant radiation saw improved overall survival compared to those treated with higher doses of 50-50.4 Gy. At a median follow-up of 61.6 months, median survival was 59.9 months for the lower dose vs. 45.5 months for the higher dose (p < 0.001). This advantage was particularly notable among patients with complete pathologic response, supporting a reevaluation of radiation dosing protocols.