SEQUENTIAL CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY FOR SQUAMOUS-CELL ESOPHAGEAL-CARCINOMA

A Phase II study of sequential chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and ci splatin followed by radiotherapy was initiated to see whether the use of two therapies sequentially could have an effect on response rate. T hirteen patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagu s were treated with 1,000 mg/m(2)/day 5-fluorouracil days 1-5 continuo usly and 100 mg/m(2) cisplatin on day 1. An average of four cycles (ra nge, one to nine) were given every 28 days; 11 patients received more than three cycles. The radiation consisted of 60 Gy over 6-8 weeks. Th ere was only one (8%) complete response (CR) and 11 (85%) partial resp onses (PRs). Restaging after radiation revealed no conversion of PR to CR. Median survival was 39 weeks (range, 6-208+). Chemotherapy alone or its use sequentially with radiotherapy is inadequate, and newer app roaches are needed to to improve survival.