title: 5-Fluorouracil, folinic acid, etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic carcinoma of the oesophagus.
abstract: 38 patients with advanced oesophageal carcinoma were treated with intravenous (i.v.) folinic acid (300 mg/m2), 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m2), etoposide (100 mg/m2), and cisplatin (30 mg/m2) (FLEP), on days 1, 2 and 3, every 22-28 days. 26 patients had locally advanced disease (LAD) and 12 had metastatic disease (M1). Oesophagectomy was planned for patients with LAD in case of tumour regression after chemotherapy, while patients with M1 disease received chemotherapy only. The overall remission rate was 45% (17/38) including four clinical and two pathologically confirmed complete remissions. 16 patients underwent oesophagectomy, 12 after response to FLEP, and 4 after FLEP and subsequent irradiation +/- 5-fluorouracil/mitomycin. Toxicity was mainly haematological, with WHO grade 3 and 4 leukocytopenia in 50% and thrombocytopenia in 31% of the patients. Two treatment-related deaths were observed; one due to chemotherapy and one postoperatively. Median survival time of LAD patients was 13 months, and actuarial 2-year survival was 31%. Patients with complete tumour resection after FLEP had a median survival time of 18 months and a 2-year survival rate of 42%. Median survival of M1 patients was 6 months. FLEP is an active combination for oesophageal cancer, especially when used preoperatively in LAD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (Cancer Research), University of Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wilke
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Preusser
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berns
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Achterrath
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knipp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harstrick
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil