title: Response to preoperative chemotherapy affects prognosis in esophageal cancer.
abstract: The effect of preoperative chemotherapy on prognosis is still controversial. We have investigated the relationship between responses to preoperative chemotherapy and prognosis after curative operations in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Thirty-nine patients received preoperative chemotherapy with continuous infusion of 500 mg/m2 of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and intravenous injection of 20 mg/m2 of leucovorin every 12 hours for 5 days. On the 5th day alone, 70 mg/m2 of cisplatin was also infused. The effect was evaluated approximately 14 days after the end of one course of chemotherapy. The rates of responders and non-responders were 64.1% and 35.9%, respectively. After an interval of 21-28 days, transthoracic esophagectomy was performed. Significant histological effect by chemotherapy was found in responders compared to non-responders (P < 0.05). Responders had a significantly better prognosis than non-responders by Log-rank test (P < 0.01). This suggests that preoperative chemotherapy may contribute to better prognosis when the tumor is sensitive to chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery 1, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. miyashit@nms.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tajiri
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasajima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Futami
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil