title: [Therapeutic effect of combined cisplatin and docetaxel vs fluorouracil regimen with concurrent radiotherapy on advanced esophageal carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the therapeutic effect and adverse effects of two regimens, namely cisplatin and docetaxel (DC) regimen and fluorouracil (PF) regimen, both with concurrent radiotherapy, in the treatment of advanced esophageal squamous cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients with esophageal squamous cancer were randomly assigned in DC regimen and PF regimen groups. All the patients received conventional radiotherapy at a total dose of 60 Gy (in 30 fractions) for 6 weeks. In DC regimen group, the patients received intravenous infusion of docetaxel (75 mg/m(2)) for 1 h on day 1 and DDP (25 mg/m(2) daily) on days 1-3, with every 28 days as one cycle. PF regimen consisted of cisplatin (25 mg/m(2)) on days 1-3 and continuous intravenous infusion of fluorouracil (500 mg/m(2)) for 5 days, with every 28 days as one cycle. All the patients were suggested to have no less than 2 cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 3-year median survival time in DC regimen was slightly longer than that in PF regimen group (26 vs 23 months, Χ2=3.4041, P=0.065). The same result was also found in the short-term effect and adverse reactions including ?myelosuppression and gastrointestinal reactions. Only the adverse reaction of radiotherapy-induced esophagitis showed a significant difference between the two groups (P=0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DC regimen with synchronous radiotherapy is effective and safe for treating advanced esophageal squamous cancer.
authors.affiliation: epartment of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, China. chen_size@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Si-Ze
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xue-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xi-Cheng
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kai-Lan
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Mo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D024221:Antineoplastic Protocols; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged