Les tumeurs sont constituées de deux groupes cellulaires :les cellules tumorales et les cellules dites « hôtes ». Au sein de ce dernier groupe, on retrouve les cellules endothéliales, les cellules inflammatoires mais également les fibroblastes associés au cancer (FAC). De plus en plus de données dans la littérature suggèrent l’importance des FAC dans l’invasion tumorale et le développement métastatique. De nombreuses études immunohistochimiques ont démontré le rôle pronostique des FAC dans différents cancers. Les traitements néoadjuvants modifient l’environnement tumoral mais l’impact de ces traitements sur les FAC est assez méconnu.Notre travail porte, tout d’abord, sur une revue de littérature à propos de l’impact pronostique négatif des FAC dans différents cancers. Ensuite, nous avons étudié le ratio des FAC SMA+/surface épithéliale tumorale dans une cohorte de patients ayant été opérés d’un adénocarcinome rectal ayant bénéficié ou pas d’une thérapie néoadjuvante. La comparaison du ratio entre les groupes traités et non traités a montré un ratio plus élevé chez les patients ayant bénéficié d’une thérapie néoadjuvante. Par ailleurs, les tumeurs présentant un ratio élevé présentent également un indice de prolifération faible suggérant que la thérapie néoadjuvante modifie l’environnement tumoral par une majoration des FAC aux dépens des cellules tumorales et par l’acquisition d’un phénotype quiescent des cellules tumorales. Finalement, chez les patients traités par une thérapie néoadjuvante, un ratio supérieur à un est associé à une survie sans récidive mauvaise.Nous nous sommes ensuite intéressés à la protéine FHL2 qui est exprimée par les FAC mais également par les cellules tumorales. L’étude de l’expression immunohistochimique de la protéine FHL2 sur un tissue microarray de cancers coliques a démontré que celle-ci est exprimée fréquemment dans les FAC de cancers coliques alors que l’expression dans les cellules tumorales est plus variable. Nous avons démontré que les tumeurs coliques exprimant fortement FHL2 sont associées à un plus mauvais pronostic (survie et survie sans récidive). Ce résultat est probablement lié à l’implication de cette protéine dans la transition épithélio-mésenchymateuse.Finalement, nous avons étudié la possibilité d’une interaction entre FHL2 et ADAM-17. Nous avons démontré que cette interaction est plus fréquente dans le cancer colique comparé au tissu colique normal. Ce dernier résultat ouvre la voie vers un partenaire potentiel de FHL2 qui pourrait notamment interférer avec la voie de signalisation de l’EGF. / Tumours are composed of two cellular groups: the tumoural cells and the host cells. In this latter, we find endothelial cells, inflammatory cells but also the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). More and more litterature data suggest a key role of CAFs in the tumoural invasion and in the metastatic development. Several immunohistochemical studies have highlighted the prognostic role of CAFs in different cancers. Neoadjuvant treatments modulate the tumoural environment but the impact of such treatment on the CAFs is relatively unknown.In the first part of this thesis we revise the current knowledge on the adverse prognostic impact of CAFs in different cancers. We studied by immunohistochemistry the ratio CAFs SMA+/tumoural epithelial area within a patient cohort operated for rectal adenocarcinoma receiving or not a neoadjuvant treatment. The comparison of the ratio between the treated group and the non-treated group showed that this ratio is higher in patients treated with neoadjuvant therapy. Moreover, rectal cancer with a high ratio displayed a lower proliferation rate suggesting that the neoadjuvant treatment modifies the tumoural environment by an increase of CAFs and by acquisition of a quiescent phenotype of the tumoural cells. In the group of patients treated with neoadjuvant treatment, a ratio >1 was associated with an adverse impact on recurrence free survival.Secondly, we studied Four-and-a-half LIM Domain protein 2 (FHL2) which is a protein expressed by CAFs but also by the tumoural cells. Immunohistochemical study of FHL2 expression on a colon cancer tissue microarray demonstrated that FHL2 is frequently expressed in colon cancer CAFs while its expression is variable in the tumoural cells. We demonstrated that high FHL2 expression in colon cancer is related to poor prognosis (overall survival and metastasis free survival). Aggressive behaviour in such tumours might be related to the implication of FHL2 in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.Finally, we studied a possible interaction between FHL2 and ADAM-17. We demonstrated that this interaction is more frequent in colon cancer compared to normal colonic tissue, suggesting a role for it in colon cancer development. This interaction possibly interferes with the EGF pathway / Doctorat en Sciences médicales (Médecine) / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Introduction Axillary dissection has little diagnostic and therapeutic benefit in the node-positive breast cancer patients in whom axillary disease has been completely eradicated after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (ypN0). We sought to assess the efficacy of an algorithm used for the identification of the ypN0 patients consisting of intraoperative evaluation of sentinel and tattooed (initially positive) lymph nodes. Methods Included were T1 and T2 breast cancer patients with one to three positive axillary lymph nodes marked with carbon who were referred for neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by a surgery. Axillary dissection was performed only in the patients with residual axillary disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy on ultrasound or with metastases described in the sentinel or tattooed lymph nodes either intraoperatively or in the final histology. Results Out of 62 included initially node-positive patients, 15 (24%) were spared axillary dissection. The detection rate of tattooed lymph node after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 81%. The ypN0 patients were identified with 91% sensitivity and 38% specificity using ultrasound and intraoperative assessment of both sentinel and tattooed lymph node according to the final histology. Discussion/Conclusion Lymph node marking with carbon dye is a useful and...

Le cancer du sein triple négatif (CSTN) est le sous-type de cancer du sein le plus hétérogène et le plus défavorable. La pierre angulaire du traitement de ces tumeurs repose sur la chimiothérapie systémique, de plus en plus fréquemment administrée en néoadjuvant, puisqu’aucune thérapie ciblée n’est à ce jour validée. L'obtention d'une réponse complète histologique (RCH) constitue un marqueur pronostique favorable majeur ainsi qu'un test in vivo de la sensibilité aux médicaments anti-tumoraux. L’objectif de notre travail de thèse a donc été d’apporter des éléments de compréhension de cette hétérogénéité grâce à la dissection clinique, biologique et moléculaire de ces tumeurs. Nous avons analysé les profils d'expression géniques de ces CSTN et ainsi identifié 6 sous-types moléculaires distincts avec des biologies et des pronostics différents. Cette classification s’appuie sur une méthodologie originale basée à la fois sur des outils bioinformatiques classiques associée à l’utilisation de réseaux biologiques. L’enrichissement en gènes de l'immunité issus du compartiment stromal de la tumeur représente un déterminant majeur du pronostic de ces tumeurs : une forte expression des gènes de l'immunité est associée un pronostic significativement plus favorable. Notre principale contribution repose sur une meilleure compréhension de l’immunité et de l’infiltrat lymphocytaire (TILS) de ces CSTN. Il s’agit probablement du sous-groupe de cancers du sein le plus immunogène avec des taux de TILS pré-CNA parmi les plus élevés avec les tumeurs HER2-positives. Cet infiltrat lymphocytaire est d'ailleurs très corrélé aux gènes de notre module immunitaire pronostique dans les CSTN. La valeur prédictive et pronostique des TILS du stroma tumoral est différente selon le sous-type moléculaire de cancer du sein, suggérant une immunité complètement différente de ces tumeurs. Le taux de TILS varie également différentiellement au sein de chaque sous-groupe sous l'influence de la CNA, témoignant d'une interaction complexe entre les TILS et les traitements. Nous montrons que la cinétique des TILS sous l'effet de la CNA est un indicateur pertinent de réponse à la CNA avec une réponse d'autant plus importante qu'une décroissance du taux de TILS sera importante. Les tumeurs les plus immunogènes avec une activité immunitaire importante sont donc les tumeurs triple-négatives les plus favorables. L'un des challenge des années à venir sera donc d'identifier le plus tôt possible les CSTN les moins immunogènes susceptibles de bénéficier au mieux des immunothérapies seules ou combinées au traitement chimiothérapique afin d'activer ou de rétablir précocement une immunité déficiente. Sous une même dénomination de TILS se trouve très certainement des populations phénotypiques de lymphocytes différentes. En effet, après CNA, leur valeur pronostique est opposée entre les CSTN et les tumeurs HER2-positives: des taux élevés de TILS sont associés à un pronostic défavorable dans les tumeurs HER2-positives alors qu’ils ont une tendance à être associés à des CSTN de meilleur pronostic. Les interactions sont complexes entre les agents cytotoxiques et la tumeur et/ou son microenvironnement. L'analyse du résidu tumoral mammaire ou ganglionnaire représente un matériel sous-exploité qui pourrait permettre de mieux comprendre les mécanismes de sensibilité ou de résistance aux traitements. Au delà de la pierre angulaire que constitue l'immunité pour ces tumeurs, nos travaux identifient certains CSTN pour lesquels l'environnement hormonal, au travers de l'indice de masse corporel ou du statut ménopausique, pourrait jouer un rôle. Ainsi l'exploration du métabolome, des particularités immunitaires chez les patientes en surpoids/obèses ou l'analyse de la voie androgène-récepteur (et ses connexions avec les voies oestrogène et progestérone-récepteur) des CSTN doit aussi être explorée de manière détaillée. Ceci ouvre des perspectives de traitement possibles pour certaines patientes. / Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most heterogeneous and pejorative subtype of breast cancer. The cornerstone of the treatment of such tumors is based on systemic chemotherapy, more and more frequently administered before surgery, since no targeted therapy has been validated to date. Obtaining a pathological complete response (PCR) is a major favorable prognostic marker as well as an in vivo test of anti-tumor drug susceptibility. The objective of our thesis work was therefore to provide elements of understanding of this heterogeneity through the clinical, biological and molecular dissection of these tumors.We analyzed gene expression profiles of TNBCs and identified 6 distinct molecular subtypes with different biologies and prognoses. This classification used an original methodology based on both classical bioinformatic tools and biological networks. The enrichment of immunity genes from the stromal compartment of the tumor represents a major determinant of the prognosis of these tumors: a strong expression of the immunity genes is associated with a significantly more favorable prognosis.Our main contribution is based on a better understanding of immunity and tumor infiltrated lymphocytes (TILS) of these TNBCs. It is probably the most immunogenic subgroup of breast cancers with the highest TILs levels pre-NAC with HER2-positive tumors. TILS levels are also highly correlated with genes of our immune prognosis module. The predictive and prognostic value of stromal TILS is different according to the molecular subtype of breast cancer, suggesting a completely different immunity of these tumors. The rate of TILS also varies differentially within each subgroup under the influence of the NAC, indicating a complex interaction between TILS and treatments. We show that the kinetics of TILS levels with NAC is a relevant indicator of response to NAC with a response that is all the more important that a decrease in the TILS rate will be important. The most immunogenic tumors with an important immune activity are therefore the most favorable triple-negative tumors. One of the challenges of the coming years will therefore be to identify, as soon as possible, the least immunogenic TNBC that can best benefit from immunotherapies alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic treatment in order to activate or restore early a deficient immunity.Under the same denomination of TILS there are probably different phenotypic populations of lymphocytes. Indeed, after CNA, their prognostic value is opposite between the TNBC and the HER2-positive tumors: high levels of TILS are associated with an unfavorable prognosis in HER2-positive tumors whereas they have a tendency to be associated with a better prognosis for TNBC tumors. The interactions are complex between cytotoxic agents and the tumor and / or its microenvironment. The analysis of the breast or axillary lymph node residual disease represents an underutilized material that could lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of sensitivity or resistance to treatment.Beyond the key role immunity for these tumors, our work identifies some TNBCs for which the hormonal environment, through the body mass index or the menopausal status, could play a role. Thus, the exploration of the metabolome, immune features in overweight / obese patients or the analysis of the androgen-receptor pathway (and its connections with the estrogen and progesterone-receptor pathways) of the TNBC must also be explored. This opens up possible treatment perspectives for some patients.

Objetivos: Determinar a expressão imunohistoquímica do fator indutor de hipóxia 1-alfa (HIF-1-alfa) e suas variáveis associadas em pacientes com câncer de mama localmente avançado. Pacientes e método: Vinte e sete mulheres foram biopsiadas para diagnóstico histopatológico do carcinoma mamário e submetidas a tratamento quimioterápico pré-cirúrgico. Analisou-se a associação do HIF-1-alfa com idade, tamanho tumoral, grau histológico, estadio clínico, status hormonal e axilar, resposta clínica e patológica após tratamento quimioterápico, expressão do receptor de estrogênio, progesterona e cerbB2. Resultados: A expressão de HIF-1-alfa foi presente em 66,7% das pacientes. O único fator associado à sua presença foi o status axilar positivo (p=0,02), tendo permanecido durante a análise univariada. As demais variáveis não apresentaram associação estatisticamente significante. Conclusão: Existe uma associação estatisticamente significante entre o acometimento linfonodal e a presença de HIF-1-alfa em pacientes com câncer de mama localmente avançado. / Objectives: To assess the expression of HIF-1 and its associated variables with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients. Methods: Twenty-seven women were submitted to incisional biopsy for histopathological diagnosis of breast carcinoma and undertaken to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). It was studied the association of HIF-1 with age, tumoral size, histological grade, clinical stage, hormonal and axillary status, clinical and pathological response after NACT, expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, as well as the presence of cerbB2 antigen. Results: HIF-1-alpha expression was found in 66.7% of patients. Only axillary status was the associated factor with its presence (p=0.02), and remained after univariate analysis. The others did not present any significant statistically difference. Conclusion: There is a significant statistically association between axillary status and HIF-1-alpha expression in LABC patients.

<p>Karcinom bronha najče&scaron;ći uzrok smrti među malignim bolesti u svetu. U XX veku je registrovan značajan porast kako incidence, tako i mortaliteta karcinoma bronha u većini zemalja. Medijana preživljavanja u svim stadijumima bolesti se značajno pobolj&scaron;ala poslednjih godina XX veka, ali nedovoljno u odnosu na očekivano. U najvećem broju slučajeva, bolest se otkriva u uznapredovalom stadijumu, kada je radikalno hirur&scaron;ko lečenje kao optimalan vid lečenja nemoguće. Neodjuvantna terapija kod bolesnika sa lokalno uznapredovalim karcinomom pluća i zahvaćenim N2 limfnim čvorovima jedan je od modusa multimodalnog lečenja bolesnika sa nemikrocelularnim karcinomima pluća (NSCLC) u cilju pobolj&scaron;anja ishoda njihovog lečenja. Ovakav pristup podrazumeva prevođenje pacijenta iz vi&scaron;eg u niži stadijum bolesti - &bdquo;downstaging&rdquo;. Na taj način pacijent postaje potencijalno resektabilan u smislu daljeg hirur&scaron;kog lečenja koji bi mogao da obezebedi sveukupni onkolo&scaron;ki benefit. Osnovni ciljevi ove doktorske disertacije su bili: procena odgovora na neoadjuvantnu terapiju kod bolenika sa IIIA stadijumom nemikrocelularnog karcinoma bronha u odnosu na T faktor i N faktor, procena TNM klasifikacije pre i posle primenjene neoadjuvantne terapije kod bolesnika sa IIIA stadijumom nemikrocelularnog karcinoma bronha, određivanje stepena tumorske regresije patohistolo&scaron;kom analizom hirur&scaron;kog resekata nemikrocelularnog karcinoma bronha operisanih bolesnika nakon primenjene neoadjuvantne terapije, kao prognostički faktor za period bez bolesti i ukupnog preživljavanja i određivanje stepena regresije tumora u maligno izmenjenim limfnim čvorovima nakon primenjene neoadjuvantne terapije kod bolesnka sa IIIA stadijumom nemikrocelularnog karcinoma bronha, kao prognostički faktor za period bez bolesti i ukupnog preživljavanja.Rezultati su pokazali da neoadjuvantna terapija prema RECIST kriterijumima dovodi značajnog smanjenja veličine tumora, T faktora, kao i do znčajnog downstaging&ldquo;-a nodalnog statusa, N faktora, u terapiji bolesnika sa IIIA stadijumom nemikrocelularnog karcinoma bronha. Neoadjuvantna terapija prema RECIST kriterijumima dovodi značajnog smanjenja klinikog stadijuma bolesti, u terapiji bolesnika sa IIIA stadijumom nemikrocelularnog karcinoma bronha Nakon primenjene neoadjuvantne terapije nema značajne razlike u T faktoru koji je određen radiolo&scaron;ki prema RECIST kriterijumima (ycT) i patohistolo&scaron;ki (ypT) na hirur&scaron;kom materijalu. Nakon primenjene neoadjuvantne terapije prisutna je značajna razlika u N faktoru koji je određen radiolo&scaron;ki prema RECIST kriterijumima (ycN) i patohitolo&scaron;ki (ypN) na hirur&scaron;kom materijalu. Nakon primenjene neoadjuvantne terapije prisutna je značajna razlika u kliničkom stadijumu bolesti koji je određen radiolo&scaron;ki prema RECIST kriterijumima (yc) i patohitolo&scaron;ki (yp) na hirur&scaron;kom materijalu. Gradusi tumorske regresije su usko povezani sa procentom očuvanog tumorskog tkiva. Stepen tumorske regresije u resekatu primarnog tumora nije u korelaciji sa ukupnim preživljavanjem i procenom perioda bez bolesti kod pacijenata sa IIIA stadijumom nemikrocelularnog karcinoma bronha.</p> / <p>Lung cancer is the most common cause of death among malignant diseases in the world. In the twentieth century was a significant increase in both incidence and mortality of lung cancer in most countries. Median survival in all stages of the disease has improved significantly in recent years of the twentieth century, but not as we expected. In most cases, the disease is detected at an advanced stage, when the radical surgical treatment is considered impossible. Neoadjuvant therapy, in patients with locally advanced carcinoma of the lung, and with affected the lymph nodes N2, is one of the modes of multimodal treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in order to improve the outcome of their treatment. This involves translating the patient from a higher to a lower stage of the disease - &quot;downstaging&quot;. In this way the patient is considered for further surgical treatment that could provide him overall oncology benefit. Main objectives of this PhD dissertation are: evaluation of response to neoadjuvant therapy in stage IIIA NSCLC patients in relation to T factor and N factor; evaluation of TNM classification before and after use of neoadjuvant therapy in stage IIIA NSCLC patients; determination of degree of tumor regression with pathohistologic analysis of resection specimen of NSCLC obtained from patients after application of neoadjuvant therapy, as a prognostic factor for disease-free period and overall survival rate; and determination of degree of tumor regression in malignant lymph nodes after application of neoadjuvant therapy in stage IIIA NSCLC patients, as a prognostic factor for disease-free period and overall survival rate. Results have shown that neoadjuvant therapy according to RECIST criteria leads to significant reduction of tumor size, T factors, as well as significant downstaging of nodal status, N factor, in treatment of stage IIIA NSCLC patients. Furthermore, neoadjuvant therapy according to RECIST criteria leads to significant reduction of clinical stage of the disease in treatment of stage IIIA NSCLC patients. However, after neoadjuvant therapy is applied there is no significant difference in T factor determined radiologically according to RECIST criteria (ycT) and by pathohistologic analysis (ypT) of resected specimen. Neoadjuvant therapy leads to significant difference in N factor which is determined radiologically according to RECIST criteria (ycN) and by pathohistologic analysis (ypN) of resection specimen. After neoadjuvant therapy is applied there is significant difference in clinical stage of the disease determined radiologically according to RECIST criteria (yc) and by pathohistologic analysis (yp) of resection specimen. Tumor regression grading is closely linked to the percentage of preserved tumor tissue. Degree of tumor regression in surgical resection of primary tumor does not correlate to the overall survival rate and estimation of disease-free period in stage IIIA NSCLC patients.</p>

Introdução: De acordo com a União Internacional Contra o Câncer um mínimo de 12 linfonodos (LN) deve ser obtido no espécime cirúrgico para o estadiamento do câncer colorretal (CCR). Estudos recentes reportaram que o uso da quimioirradioterapia neoadjuvante (QRN) pode resultar na não obtenção do número mínimo de LN na peça em 30-52% dos pacientes. Objetivo: Identificar os fatores relacionados à redução do número de LN ressecados em pacientes submetidos à neoadjuvancia e a excisão total do mesorreto. Pacientes e métodos: De janeiro de 2012 a março de 2013, 160 pacientes com câncer de reto foram submetidos à QRN (5-FU e 5040 Gys) seguida de excisão total de mesorreto com ligadura dos vasos mesentéricos inferiores nas suas raízes. Foram incluídos pacientes com estadiamento T3, T4 e/ou N+ que distavam até 10cm da borda anal e T2N0 que distavam até 7 cm da borda anal. Foram excluídos pacientes cujo tratamento com quimiorradioterapia neoadjuvante foi incompleto, ou que tiveram atrasos significativos para re-estadiamento e/ou realização da cirurgia. Todos foram estadiados através de toque retal, colonoscopia, TC de tórax e de abdome, e RM de pelve e igualmente re-estadiados 8 semanas após o término da neoadjuvância, operados e submetidos a excisão total do mesorreto. Os pacientes foram divididos em 2 grupos: A) menos de 12 LN, e B) 12 ou mais LN. Foram estudadas as possíveis variáveis relacionadas ao número de LN obtidos: sexo, idade, presença de LN acometidos, tamanho do tumor, localização da altura do tumor no reto, comprimento da peça, preservação esfincteriana, via de acesso, estadiamento inicial, grau de resposta tumoral e resposta patológica à quimiorrradioterapia neoadjuvante. Resultados: Noventa e cinco pacientes (60 masculinos) preencheram os critérios de inclusão e conseguiram ser tratados, re-estadiados e operados dentro das datas pré-estabelecidas. A média de LN ressecados foi 23,2 (3-67). Resposta patológica completa foi obtida em 18 pacientes (19%). Um mínimo de 12 LN foram obtidos em 81 pacientes (85%). Dentre os 14 doentes que obtiveram menos de 12 LN, 7 (50%) eram respostas patológicas completas. De todas as variáveis estudadas apenas resposta patológica completa na peça foi fator associado à não obtenção do número mínimo de 12 LN (p=0,002). Conclusões: Em pacientes submetidos à QRN e ETM, a resposta patológica completa foi o único fator associado a não obtenção de um mínimo de 12 de LN na peça / INTRODUCTION: According to the International Union against Cancer a minimum of 12 lymph nodes (LN) must be obtained from the surgical specimen for staging colorrectal cancer. However, recent studies reported that neoadjuvant chemoradiation may result in failure to obtain a minimum number of LN in 30-52 % of patients. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with decreased number of LN resected in patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy followed by total mesorectal excision (TEM). METHODS: From January/2012 to March/2013, 160 patients with rectal cancer underwent CRT (5 - FU and Gys 5040) followed by TEM and ligation of inferior mesenteric vessels in the roots. Patients with stage T3, T4 and/or N + within 10cm from anal verge were included. Patients with T2N0 located within 7cm from the anal verge were also included. Patients who were not able to complete the chemoradiation treatment or who presented significant delay on restaging and/or surgery were excluded from analyses. All patients were staged by digital rectal examination, colonoscopy, CT of the abdomen and chest, and MRI of the pelvis. Patients were re-staged 8 weeks after completion of neoadjuvant therapy, and submitted to total mesorectal excision right after that. Patients were stratified according to LN retrieval in two groups: A) less than 12 LN, B) 12 or more LN. Possible factors associated with the decreased number of LN were evaluated: gender, age, presence of metastatic LN, tumor size, tumor location, and length of the specimen, sphincter preservation, surgical access, initial staging, tumor regression grade and pathological response to chemoradiation. RESULTS: Ninety-five patients (60 male) met the inclusion criteria and were able to be treated, re-staged and operated within the pre-established intervals. The mean number of resected LN was 23.2 (3-67). Pathological complete response was achieved in 18 patients (19%). A minimum of 12 LN were obtained from 81 patients (85%). Half of the 14 patients with less than 12 LN presented pathologic complete response. Of all the variables studied only pathologic complete response was associated with less than 12 LN yield (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients submitted to chemoradiation followed by TME the complete pathological response was the only factor associated with failure to obtain a minimum of 12 LN in the specimen

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The impact was assessed of clinical and nutritional factors on prognosis of 107 oesophageal cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CHRT) and surgery. Individualised nutritional support, according to grade of dysphagia was carried out in all the patients. Serum leptin, soluble leptin receptors (SLR), TNF, IGF and fatty acid (FA) profiles in plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC) were studied as well. Addition of paclitaxel to carboplatin and continual fluorouracil significantly increased toxicity without influencing efficacy of the treatment. Post-operative node negativity, grade of dysphagia, weight loss and serum albumin were proved to be prognostic factors of survival and time to progression. CHRT led to decrease of SLR, palmitoleic and oleic acid and increase of n-3 polyunsaturated FA in PC. Lower concentrations of SLR were associated with improved survival of the patients. Key words: oesophageal cancer, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, weight loss, paclitaxel, albumin, soluble leptin receptor, fatty acids