Purpose: A prospective trial of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CT-RT) with a protracted infusion of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this protocol for T4 esophageal cancer (UICC 1997).
Methods and Materials: Between 1998 and 2000, 28 patients with T4 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas were treated with concurrent CT-RT. Of the 28 patients, 15 had Stage III, 5 Stage IVA, and 8 Stage IV disease. Five of the T4 tumors had evidence of fistula before treatment. Patients received a protracted infusion of 5-fluorouracil 300 mg/m(2)/24 h on Days 1-14, a 1-h infusion of cisplatin 10 mg/body on Days 1-5 and 8-12, and concurrent radiation at a dose of 30 Gy in 15 fractions during 3 weeks. This schedule was repeated twice, with a 1-week split, for a total RT dose of 60 Gy during 7 weeks for 25 patients. For the remaining 3 patients, 30 Gy of preoperative CT-RT was administered.
Results: Of the 25 patients who were treated with the full dose of CT-RT, 14 (56%) completed the two courses of-the CT-RT protocol, and 8 patients (32%) received the full dose of RT but a reduced dose of chemotherapy. Eight (32%) of the 25 tumors showed complete regression. Although Grade 3 hematologic toxicities were frequently noted, Grade 4 or more hematologic toxicities were few. Of the 5 T4 fistulous tumors, 2 demonstrated the disappearance of the fistula after CT-RT. However, the worsening or development of an esophageal fistula was noted in 5 patients. The 2-year survival rate for patients with Stage III was 2717,c, and the median survival time for those with Stage III and Stage IVA+IV was 12 and 5 months, respectively.
Conclusion: Despite its significant toxicity for esophageal fistula, this concurrent CT-RT protocol of protracted 5-fluorouracil infusion and cisplatin appears feasible and effective for T4 esophageal cancer with or without fistulas. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc.