Results of radiotherapy with concurrent docetaxel and cisplatin in unresectable esophageal carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy with concurrent docetax-el and cisplatin in patients with unreseetable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods Between March 2004 and June 2007, 59 patients with histologically diagnosed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in clinical stage Ⅱ to Ⅳ were enrolled in this study. All patients were confirmed as unresectable and treated by conventional radiotherapy of 60 -64 Gy in 30 -34 fractions concurrently with docetaxel 60 mg/m 2 and cispl-atin 80 mg/m 2 on clay 1 and day 22. Results The overall response ( including complete response and par-tial response) rate was 98%. The median follow-up time was 18 months (3-53 months). The median sur-vival time was 22.6 months. The 3-year overall locoregional, progression-free and metastasis-free survival rates were 37%, 60% and 43%, respectively. Hematologic toxicity, especially leukopenia and neutrope-nia, was the major acute toxicity. While severe non-hemotologic toxicity was infrequent. Eleven patients had curable pteural effusion after chemoradiotherapy. Conclusions In unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, radiotherapy concurrently with docetaxel and cisplatin has high local control and tolerable hema-tological toxicity with G-CSF support. Key words: Esophageal neoplasms/radio-chemotherapy ; Radio-chemotherapy; concurrent; Prognosis