title: Treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus with alternating radiotherapy and chemotherapy (cisplatin, methotrexate, and peplomycin).
abstract: Between 1985 and 1990, 20 patients with stage 2 and 3 esophageal cancer without esophagopulmonary fistulas were treated with alternating radiotherapy and chemotherapy (cisplatin, methotrexate, and peplomycin). Patients given the combined therapy received courses of chemotherapy during weeks 1 and 6 and radiotherapy during weeks 2-5 and 7-9. Chemotherapy consisted of i.v. cisplatin (80 mg/ m2 of body surface area) on day 1, i.v. methotrexate (40 mg/ m2) on day 2, and s.c. peplomycin (10 mg/day) continuously from day 2 to day 5. Radiotherapy was external irradiation with or without intracavitary irradiation. In seven cases, external irradiation alone was administered at 65-70 Gy, and in 13 cases, external irradiation (50-55 Gy) was combined with intracavitary irradiation (14-20 Gy). At the end of treatment, the rate of complete response was 60% with an overall response rate of 95%. Five-year total survival was 25%; cause-specific survival was 36.8%. The most common acute toxicities were bone marrow suppression, hepatic and renal damage, pneumonitis, and esophagitis. There was no life-threatening toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kagami
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Narimatsu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Myoujin
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hareyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D017663:Peplomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage
chemical_list: D017663:Peplomycin; D002945:Cisplatin; D008727:Methotrexate