title: A phase II study on continuous infusional paclitaxel and 5-Fu as first-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to evaluated the efficacy and safety of continuous infusional paclitaxel and 5-Fu as first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 22 patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer with no indications for surgery and radiation therapy, or recurrent patients were enrolled from October 2008 to November 2010. All were treated with PTX 20 mg/m2 was administered through a 16 hours continuous intravenous infusion on days 1 to 3, 8 and 9. DDP 3.75 mg/m2 was given on days 1 to 4 and 8 to 11, continuous infusional 5-FU over 24-hours on days 1 to 5 and 8 to 12 at a dose of 375 mg/m2, and folacin 60 mg orally synchronized with 5-Fu. The treatment was repeated every 21 days for at least two cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  22 cases of all enrolled patients could be evaluated for the effect of treatment: 2 cases were CR, 9 cases PR, 5 cases SD and 2 cases PD, giving an overall response rate of 68.2% (15/22). The median time to progression was 7.0 months. The adverse reactions related to chemotherapy were tolerable; the most common toxic effects were marrow depression, alopecia, and fatigue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-dose continuous infusional PTX over 16-hours and 5-fu over 24-hours is a promising regimen with good tolerability in treating patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer.
authors: Department of Oncology, Yancheng Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors: Ming
authors: M
authors: Gu
authors: Su-Yi
authors: SY
authors: Li
authors: Xin-En
authors: XE
authors: Huang
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Lin
authors: Hong-Yan
authors: HY
authors: Cheng
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017239:Paclitaxel; D005472:Fluorouracil