A retrospective study of paclitaxel combining nedaplatin chemotherapy for esophageal cancer.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the combination of paclitaxel and nedaplatin in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. Patients (n = 310) with recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, who had a maximum of one previous chemotherapy regimen, were enrolled in this study. All patients had bidimensionally measurable disease. Patients received 175 mg/m of paclitaxel over a 3 h infusion, followed by nedaplatin 80 mg/m in a 1 h infusion on day 1 every 3 weeks for up to 6 treatment cycles. The overall response rate was 47.7%, with complete and partial response rates of 6.1 and 41.7%, respectively. The median time to progression for all patients was 6.8 months (95% confidence interval, 6.2-7.4 months) and the 3-year disease-free survival probability was 3 (15.8%). The major toxicity observed was cumulative neutropenia, with 29% patients developing grade 4 toxicity. There was no treatment-related death. The most common nonhematologic toxicity encountered with this regimen was pain and cumulative peripheral neuropathy, with 26% patients experiencing grade 2 or 3 toxicity. The combination of paclitaxel and nedaplatin shows significant antitumor activity and a favorable toxicity profile in patients with metastatic carcinoma of esophageal cancer.