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Unresectable nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus managed by sequential chemotherapy (cisplatin and bleomycin) and radiation therapy
Author(s) -
Izquierdo Miguel A.,
Marcuello Eugenio,
De Segura Gerardo Gomez,
Blanco Remedios,
Canals Eugenio,
Gomez Antonio,
Sampedro Federico
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19930115)71:2<287::aid-cncr2820710203>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - medicine , esophagus , bleomycin , dysphagia , radiation therapy , chemotherapy , cisplatin , surgery , toxicity , carcinoma , radiology
Background . For patients with unresectable non‐metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE), the conventional treatment has been radiation therapy (RT). Because RT alone is unsatisfactory, there has been increasing interest in including chemotherapy (CT) in the management of these patients. Methods . Twenty‐five previously untreated patients with unresectable nonmetastatic SCCE were treated with sequential CT and RT. CT consisted of cisplatin 35 mg/m 2 /day for 3 days plus bleomycin 15 mg/ day for 3 days as an 18–hour infusion every 3 weeks. After three courses of CT, RT was administered (dose, 200 rads/day with a planned total dose of 50–60 Gy). Results . Nineteen tumors were T3; six were T2 and larger than 7 cm. Fifteen patients (60%) had severe dysphagia that required placement of nasogastric tubes in 14 and gastrostomy in 1. All patients were evaluable for respons. Thirteen patients (52%) had a partial response to CT. After combined treatment, four patients had complete responses (16%), and nine had partial responses (36%; overall response rate, 52%). The median survival was 8 months; 20% were alive at 1 year, and 8% lived more than 4 years. The median survival for responders to CT was 8 months compared with 5 months for nonresponders ( P = 0.005). Combined treatment improved dysphagia in 16 patients (64%) with complete resolution in 13. Toxicity was mild. Conclusions . The use of sequential CT (cisplatin and bleomycin) and RT in this group of patients is feasible; there is little additional toxicity, and good palliative effects can be achieved. The patient's response to CT is a good prognostic factor. The development of more effective combinations that induce more durable responses and higher rates of complete response are required.