title: Phase II study of concurrent chemoradiation in combination with erlotinib for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of concurrent chemoradiation in combination with erlotinib for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. A daily fraction of 2.0 Gy was prescribed to a total dose of 60 Gy over 6 weeks. Concurrent paclitaxel (135 mg/m(2), d(1)) and cisplatin (20 mg/m(2), d(1-3)) were administered on Day 1 and Day 29 of the radiotherapy. Erlotinib, an oral epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was taken by every patient at the dose of 150 mg daily during the chemoradiotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up of the 24 patients was 18.6 months (range, 7.1-29.6 months). The 2-year overall survival, local-regional control, and relapse-free survival were 70.1% (95% CI, 50.4-90%), 87.5% (95% CI, 73.5-100%), and 57.4% (95% CI, 36.3-78.7%), respectively. During the chemoradiotherapy, the incidences of acute toxicities of Grade 3 or greater, such as leucopenia and thrombocytopenia, were 16.7 % (4/24) and 8.3% (2/24).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Application of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in combination with erlotinib for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma yielded satisfactory 2-year overall survival and local-regional control. The toxicities were well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The first affiliated hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, WenZhou, ZheJiang, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xuebang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Congyin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Shixiu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin