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Docetaxel and Cisplatin as First-Line Treatment for Patients with Metastatic Esophageal Cancer: A Pilot Study

2005; Karger Publishers; Volume: 28; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1159/000089102

2296-5262

Eckart Laack, Birte Andritzky, Heinz Dürk, Iris Burkholder, Lutz Edler, Gunter Schuch, Ina Boeters, Michael H. Gorn, Rainer W. Lipp, Hartmut Horst, Johann Popp, Dieter K. Hossfeld,

Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations

Background: We investigated the combination of docetaxel and cisplatin as first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer. Patients and Methods: 16 chemotherapy-naïve patients with distant metastases were included in the study (15 male, 1 female; median age: 58.5 years (range 37-69); median ECOG performance status: 1). 11 patients (69%) had esophageal cancer, and 5 patients (31%) had cancer of the gastroesophageal junction. Patients received docetaxel 75 mg/m2 and cisplatin 80 mg/m2 on day 1 every 3 weeks. A total of 55 chemotherapy cycles was administered. The median number of cycles was 3 (range 1-6). Results: The overall response rate was 31.3%. 4 out of 10 patients (40%) with squamous cell carcinoma and 1 out of 5 patients (20%) with adenocarcinoma responded to chemotherapy. The median overall survival was 29.6 weeks, and the median progression-free survival was 18.6 weeks. Hematological and non-hematological toxicities were moderate (neutropenia WHO grade III/IV: 42.9%, alopecia grade II/III: 64.3%, nausea/vomiting grade II/III: 57.2%, neurotoxicity grade II: 14.3%). Conclusion: The combination of docetaxel and cisplatin is an active regimen with moderate toxicity in the treatment of patients with metastatic esophageal cancer. This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of a combination treatment containing a taxane and cisplatin in metastatic esophageal cancer.