title: A phase II study of carboplatin and paclitaxel in esophageal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of combination carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with esophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five patients were enrolled. Patients were treated with paclitaxel 200 mg/m(2) intravenously (i.v.) over 3 h and carboplatin i.v. at an AUC of 5 mg/h/ml. Thirty-three patients were assessable for toxicity and objective response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 166 treatment courses were administered with a median of five courses per patient. The objective response rate was 43% [90% confidence interval (CI) 0.3-0.58] by the intention-to-treat analysis. The median response duration was 2.8 months (90% CI 2.1-5.4). The median survival time was 9 months (90% CI 7-13.8) and the 1-year survival rate was 43% (90% CI 0.29-0.57). The major grade 3-4 toxicity observed was neutropenia, occurring in 17 patients (52%). There were no treatment-related deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel is an moderately active and tolerable regimen in advanced esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: El-Rayes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zalupski
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Heilbrun
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Philip
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel