Korean J Med.  2007 Jan;72(1):37-43.

The efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with inoperable esophageal cancer

• Kim YJ
• Kim JY
• Do YR
• Song HS
• Kim OB

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Carcinoma of the esophagus traditionally has been treated with surgery or radiation therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the effect and safety of chemoradiation therapy on patients with advanced esophageal cancer.
METHODS
We performed a retrospective study of twenty eight cases with inoperable carcinoma of the esophagus treated with definitive chemoradiation at single institute between April 2001 and December 2004. Twenty eight patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinomas were treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy. Of 28 patients, 22 had stage III disease, 6 had stage II disease, and 26 were males and 2 were females. The median age of the patients was 63.0 years (range, 4475 years). The regimen involved four cycles of chemotherapy, cisplatin, 75 mg/m2 intravenously on the first day of weeks 1, 5, 9, and 13, and 5-fluorouracil, 1,000 mg/m2 per day on the first 4 days of weeks 1, 5. 9. and 13, concurrently with a dose of 5,400 cGy external beam radiotherapy.
RESULTS
The overall response rate was 89%. The median overall survival was 24.7 months, the 1-year and 3-year overall survival rate was 71% and 32%, respectively. The 1-year and 3-year progression-free survival rate was 86% and 54%, respectively. Grade 3/4 hematological toxicities included neutropenia in 50% of the patients, anemia in 25%, and thrombocytopenia in 14%. Grade 3 and 4 non-hematological toxicities were less common.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that concurrent chemoradiotherapy is an effective regimen.

Keyword

Combined modality therapy; Radiotherapy; Esophageal cancer

MeSH Terms

Anemia
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Chemoradiotherapy*
Cisplatin
Combined Modality Therapy
Disease-Free Survival
Drug Therapy
Esophageal Neoplasms*
Esophagus
Female
Fluorouracil
Humans
Male
Neutropenia
Radiotherapy
Retrospective Studies
Survival Rate
Thrombocytopenia
Cisplatin
Fluorouracil