A case of inoperable esophageal carcinoma with hepatic and nodal metastases which showed a long-term survival after chemoradiotherapy including nedaplatin

We report a case of metastatic esophageal carcinoma successfully treated wi th chemoradiotherapy. A 61-year-old man, diagnosed as suffering from advanc ed esophageal carcinoma with liver and lymph node metastases, was treated w ith a combination of nedaplatin (90 mg/m(2)/day, 1 h drip infusion, day 1), 5-fluorouracil (800 mg/m(2)/day, continuous infusion, days 1-5), and radio therapy (2 Gy/day, days 1-5, 8-12 and 15-19). The cycle was repeated twice every 5 weeks from July 2, 1997. He achieved a complete response 1 month af ter finishing two courses of chemoradiotherapy followed by an additional th ree courses of chemotherapy without radiation. Seven months after the compl etion of radiotherapy, pericardial effusion with negative cytology was reco gnized. The effusion was treated by pericardiocentesis and drainage for sev eral days. After drainage, the effusion could be easily managed with diuret ics. This patient is still alive with no evidence of disease more than 2.5 years after the initiation of the treatment.