title: Weekly nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel in combination with cisplatin versus weekly solvent-based paclitaxel plus cisplatin as first-line therapy in Chinese patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  More effective regimens for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are urgently needed. Therefore, a retrospective study concerning the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel plus cisplatin (nab-TP) versus solvent-based paclitaxel plus cisplatin (sb-TP) as a first-line therapy was conducted in Chinese patients with advanced ESCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2009 to June 2015, 32 patients were treated with nab-paclitaxel (125 mg/m2) on the first and eighth days (30 minutes infusion) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2) on the second day every 21 days (nab-TP arm). Also, 43 patients were treated with solvent-based paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) intravenously on the first and eighth days and the same dose of cisplatin (sb-TP arm). The two groups were compared in terms of objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety profile. OS and PFS were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods to determine associations between chemotherapy regimens and survival outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nab-TP demonstrated a higher ORR (50% vs 30%;P=0.082) and disease control rate (81% vs 65%;P=0.124) than sb-TP. Median OS was similar for nab-TP and sb-TP (12.5 vs 10.7 months;P=0.269). However, nab-TP resulted in a longer median PFS (6.1 months [95% confidence interval: 5.3-6.9]) than sb-TP (5.0 months [95% confidence interval: 4.4-5.6]) (P=0.029). The most common adverse events included anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia in both the groups and no statistically significant differences were observed between the groups. With statistically significant differences, significantly less grade ≥3 peripheral neuropathy, arthralgia, and myalgia occurred in the nab-TP arm (allP<0.05). Dose reduction, treatment delays, and second-line therapy were similar between the two regimens. There were no treatment-related deaths in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nab-paclitaxel plus cisplatin is found to be an effective and tolerable option for advanced ESCC in the People's Republic of China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hai-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiao-San
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shu-Na
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shu-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; chemotherapy; nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel; paclitaxel