title: Gemcitabine and cisplatin for patients with metastatic or recurrent esophageal carcinoma: a Southwest Oncology Group Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Experimental data, both in vivo and in vitro, suggest that the combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin acts synergistically. Within the Southwest Oncology Group, we designed a Phase II trial to test this chemotherapy combination for patients with esophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with metastatic or recurrent esophageal cancer were treated with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15, and cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) on day 15. Cycles were repeated every 28 days. The statistical endpoint was overall survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four eligible patients were accrued from 37 institutions. Twenty-six percent of patients had prior chemotherapy. The treatment was generally well-tolerated, with the most common toxicity being neutropenia in 31% of patients. All 64 patients have died. Survival at 3 months was 81%, and at 1 year was 20%. Median survival was 7.3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This regimen is tolerable palliative option for patients with metastatic esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0922, USA. surba@umich.edu
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Urba
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chansky
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: VanVeldhuizen
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Pluenneke
authors.forename: Jacqueline K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Abbruzzese
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D015996:Survival Rate; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine