Combined treatment of oxaliplatin and capecitabine in patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy and side effects of the combined therapy of oxaliplatin and capecitabine in patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) and the survival of the patients.


METHODS
Sixty-four patients (median age of 63 years) with histological or cytological confirmation of ESCC received oxaliplatin 120 mg/m(2) intravenously on day 1 and capecitabine 1000 mg/m(2) orally twice daily on days 1 to 14 in a 21-d treatment cycle as palliative chemotherapy. Each patient received at least two cycles of treatment. The efficacy, side effects and patient survival were evaluated.


RESULTS
The partial response (PR) rate was 43.8% (28/64). Stable disease (SD) rate was 47.9% (26/64), and disease progression rate was 15.6% (10/64). The clinical benefit rate (PR + SD) was 84.4%. The main toxicities were leukopenia (50.0%), nausea and vomiting (51.6%), diarrhea (50.0%), stomatitis (39.1%), polyneuropathy (37.5%) and hand-foot syndrome (37.5%). No grade 4 event in the entire cohort was found. The median progression-free survival was 4 mo, median overall survival was 10 mo (95% CI: 8.3-11.7 mo), and the 1- and 2-year survival rates were 38.1% and 8.2%, respectively. High Karnofsky index, single metastatic lesion and response to the regimen indicated respectively good prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Oxaliplatin plus capecitabine regimen is effective and tolerable in metastatic ESCC patients. The regimen has improved the survival moderately and merits further studies.
Qin
Tian-Jie
TJ
Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
An
Gai-Li
GL
Zhao
Xin-Han
XH
Tian
Fang
F
Li
Xiao-Hua
XH
Lian
Juan-Wen
JW
Pan
Bo-Rong
BR
Gu
Shan-Zhi
SZ
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D010166:Palliative Care; D018579:Patient Selection; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil