Efficacy and side-effects of docetaxel combined with cisplatin on the treatment of local advanced esophageal cancer with concomitant radiation therapy

Abstract

To investigate the therapeutical effect and side-effect of docetaxel combined with cisplatin (DDP) on the treatment of local advanced esophageal cancer with concomitant radiation therapy. Ninety patients with LOCAL advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were divided into two groups: (DDP + 5-Fu) group and (docetaxel + DDP) group. Chemotherapy was carried out every 4 weeks for a total of 4 courses. The radiation dose was 50.4 Gy/28FX. The median survival time of patients in the (DDP + 5-Fu) group was 16 months and that in (docetaxel + DDP) group was 21 months (P = 0.0278). The 3-year survival rate in the (docetaxel + DDP) group was obviously higher than that in the (DDP + 5-Fu) group (23.9% vs. 12.1%). The ORR in (docetaxel + DDP) group (84.5%) was significantly higher than that in the (DDP + 5-Fu) group (71.1%) (P = 0.025). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of side-effects in the two groups. The conventional dose chemotherapy of docetaxel + DDP with concomitant radiation therapy showed a better partial remission rate and long-term survival rate for the treatment of local advanced esophageal cancer than the traditional chemotherapy (DDP + 5-Fu) with concomitant radiation therapy and the side-effects are not increased.