Prediction of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Sensitivity in Patients With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using CT-Based Radiomics Combined With Clinical Features

<b>Background:</b> For patients with resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the current standard treatment is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) plus radical surgery. <b>Objective:</b> This study aimed to establish a predictive model, based on computed tomography (CT) radiomics features and clinical parameters, to predict sensitivity to nCRT in patients with ESCC pre-treatment. The goal was to provide risk stratification and decision-making recommendations for clinical treatments and offer more valuable information for developing personalized therapies. <b>Methods:</b> This retrospective study involved 102 patients diagnosed with ESCC through biopsy who underwent nCRT. To select radiomics features, we used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm. A combined model was constructed, integrating the selected clinically relevant parameters with the Rad-Score. To assess the performance of this combined model, we utilized calibration curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. <b>Results:</b> Nine optimal radiomics features were selected using the LASSO algorithm. The support vector machine (SVM) classifier was identified as having the best predictive performance. The area under the curve (AUC) of the SVM training group was 0.937 (95% CI: 0.856-1.000), and of the validation group was 0.831 (95% CI: 0.679-0.983). Smoking and alcohol history, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, serum aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio, and carcinoembryonic antigen and fibrinogen levels were independent predictors of sensitivity to nCRT in patients with ESCC. The AUCs of the combined model for the training and validation groups were 0.870 (95% CI: 0.774-0.964) and 0.821 (95% CI: 0.669-0.972), respectively. The calibration curve showed that the nomogram's predictions were close to the actual clinical observations, indicating that the model exhibited good predictive performance. <b>Conclusion:</b> Our combined model based on Rad-Score and clinical characteristics showed high predictive performance for predicting sensitivity to nCRT in patients with ESCC. It may be useful for predicting treatment effects in clinical practice and demonstrates the significant potential of radiomics in predicting and optimizing treatment decisions.