INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of weekly docetaxel concurrent with radiotherapy in inoperable oesophageal cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-four oesophageal cancer patients with co-morbid medical conditions, locally advanced tumours (T4) or advanced age (older than 75 years) received docetaxel (20 mg/m2 weekly) plus concurrent radiotherapy (2 Gy daily, to a total dose of 66 Gy). Twenty-two patients (64%) were stage III, 19 of whom had T4 tumours. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (79%) completed the planned chemoradiotherapy treatment. Nine patients (26%) achieved a complete response and 8 (24%) achieved a partial response, for an overall response rate of 50%. Median survival was 6 months, and 1-year survival was 35%. Patients with T4 tumours had significantly shorter survival than other patients: 5 months for T4 tumours vs. 11 months for T1-3 (p=0.04). Grade 3-4 oesophagitis occurred in 6 patients (17%). There were two treatment-related deaths due to radiation pneumonitis. CONCLUSIONS: Docetaxel plus concurrent radiotherapy is active in poor-prognosis oesophageal cancer patients, with a lower incidence of severe oesophagitis than with cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy regimens. This schedule can be considered, especially in patients with non-T4 tumours who are not candidates for oesophageal resection.
INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of weekly docetaxel concurrent with radiotherapy in inoperable oesophageal cancerpatients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-four oesophageal cancerpatients with co-morbid medical conditions, locally advanced tumours (T4) or advanced age (older than 75 years) received docetaxel (20 mg/m2 weekly) plus concurrent radiotherapy (2 Gy daily, to a total dose of 66 Gy). Twenty-two patients (64%) were stage III, 19 of whom had T4 tumours. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (79%) completed the planned chemoradiotherapy treatment. Nine patients (26%) achieved a complete response and 8 (24%) achieved a partial response, for an overall response rate of 50%. Median survival was 6 months, and 1-year survival was 35%. Patients with T4 tumours had significantly shorter survival than other patients: 5 months for T4 tumours vs. 11 months for T1-3 (p=0.04). Grade 3-4 oesophagitis occurred in 6 patients (17%). There were two treatment-related deaths due to radiation pneumonitis. CONCLUSIONS:Docetaxel plus concurrent radiotherapy is active in poor-prognosis oesophageal cancerpatients, with a lower incidence of severe oesophagitis than with cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy regimens. This schedule can be considered, especially in patients with non-T4 tumours who are not candidates for oesophageal resection.
Authors: Nicholas W Choong; Ann M Mauer; Daniel C Haraf; Mark K Ferguson; Alan B Sandler; Kenneth A Kesler; Paul A S Fishkin; Rafat H Ansari; James Wade; Stuart A Krauss; David F Sciortino; Mitchell C Posner; Masha Kocherginsky; Philip C Hoffman; Livia Szeto; Everett E Vokes Journal: Med Oncol Date: 2010-08-21 Impact factor: 3.064
Authors: F L Day; T Leong; S Ngan; R Thomas; M Jefford; J R Zalcberg; D Rischin; J McKendick; A D Milner; J Di Iulio; A Matera; M Michael Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2010-12-14 Impact factor: 7.640