Abstract
The initial standard chemotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) consists of 5-FU+cisplatin (FP). We performed combination chemotherapy including docetaxel and nedaplatin for advanced or recurrent ESCC after FP as a second-line treatment. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of this regimen. Intravenous drip infusion of docetaxel 60mg/m2 for 60 minutes and nedaplatin 80mg/m2 for 60 minutes in a 4-week treatment period was defined as 1 cycle. Forty-six patients with a median age of 62 years who had been treated with prior chemotherapy were reviewed. Prior treatments consisted of surgery in 12 patients, chemoradiotherapy in 18 patients, systemic chemotherapy in 15 patients and endoscopic mucosal resection in 1 patient. We administered an average of 2.4 courses. There was 1 CR, 5 PRs, 26 SDs and 14 PDs in this series, and the overall response rate was 13.0%. Median survival time was 190 days from the start of this therapy. The prevailing toxicity was myelosuppression with more than Grade 3 leukocytopenia and neutropenia occurring in 29 and 22 patients, respectively. Severe interstitial pneumonitis occurred in one patient. The findings of this study indicated that this regimen is effective as a second-line therapy for ESCC.
