Preoperative induction of CPT-11 and cisplatin chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy in patients with locoregional carcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction.
BACKGROUND
Patients with localized esophageal carcinoma often develop locoregional and distant disease recurrence. The current study investigated the outcome of a new chemotherapy combination as induction therapy before chemoradiotherapy.


METHODS
Forty-three patients with resectable carcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction were enrolled. Most of the tumors were endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) (EUS)T3 (84%) and (EUS)N1 (63%). The patients received < or = 2 6-week cycles of CPT-11 and cisplatin followed by chemoradiotherapy (45 grays with 5-fluorouracil and paclitaxel). Five to six weeks after chemoradiotherapy, the patients underwent staging and surgery. The feasibility, curative resection rates, overall and disease-free survival rates, rate of significant pathologic response, and patterns of disease recurrence were assessed.


RESULTS
Of the 43 patients, 39 (91%) underwent an R0 resection. Two patients (5%) died after surgery. A pathologic complete response (pathCR) was observed in 11 (28%) of the 39 patients (or 26% of the 43 patients). In addition, 16 patients (41% of 39 patients or 37% of 43 patients) had < 10% viable tumor in the surgical specimen (pathPR). A comparison of endoscopic ultrasonograpy T and N classifications with surgical T and N classifications demonstrated significant down-staging (P < 0.01). The median survival period of all 43 patients was 22.1 months. Patients who had achieved a pathCR or pathPR had a longer median survival (25.6 months) than those who achieved less than a pathPR (18.5 months; P = 0.52). None of the clinical parameters examined were found to correlate with survival or pathologic response.


CONCLUSIONS
CPT-11-based induction chemotherapy resulted in substantial pathCR and pathPR rates, both of which lead to a favorable survival outcome. The three-step strategy needs to be developed further, with the investigation of targeted therapies with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Ajani
Jaffer A
JA
Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030-4009, USA. jajani@mdanderson.org
Walsh
Garrett
G
Komaki
Ritsuko
R
Morris
Jeff
J
Swisher
Stephen G
SG
Putnam
Joe B
JB
Lynch
Patrick M
PM
Wu
Tsung-Teh
TT
Smythe
Roy
R
Vaporciyan
Ara
A
Faust
Josephine
J
Cohen
Deborah S
DS
Nivers
Rebecca
R
Roth
Jack A
JA
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019160:Endosonography; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate
D000077146:Irinotecan; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin