%0 Journal Article
%T Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus using low dose continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin: Results of a prospective study
%A Aroori S
%A Parshad R
%A Kapoor A
%A Gupta S
%J Indian Journal of Cancer
%D 2004
%I Medknow Publications
%X BACKGROUND : Surgery is the treatment of choice for localized esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Despite curative surgical resection, the majority of patients develop local and systemic recurrence with poor 5-year survival. AIMS : To study the role of low dose continuous infusion (CI) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in ESCC. SETTINGS AND DESIGN : A non-randomized prospective study conducted over a period of two years (1996-1998) in the Department of Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India. MATERIAL AND METHODS : Twenty-two patients with ESCC were included in the study. Chemotherapy consisted of a continuous 30-day infusion of 5-FU (350 mg/m2 /day) and cisplatin (7.5 mg/m2/day), 5 days/week for 4 weeks. All patients had surgery following chemotherapy. RESULTS : A full course of chemotherapy was completed in 18 patients (82%). Chemotherapy was not completed due to non-compliance (n=2), thrombophlebitis (n=1), and vomiting (n=1). Grade-1 haematological and hepato-toxicity was observed in four patients. Thirteen patients developed thrombophlebitis. After chemotherapy, improvement in dysphagia was observed in 13 of 22 (59%) patients. Radiological partial response was observed in 8 patients (36.4%). 19 patients underwent surgical resection (86.4%) with zero mortality. Post-operative morbidity was observed in six patients (27%). Complete and partial pathological response was observed in two (11%) and one patient (5.5%) respectively. The overall median survival was 18 months and 4-year survival was 42%. CONCLUSIONS : Low dose CI 5-FU and cisplatin is well tolerated with minimal toxicity. Histopathological response rates and survival figures are comparable with the more toxic neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens.
%K Neoplasm
%K Esophageal cancer
%K Neoadjuvant Therapy
%K Fluorouracil
%K Cisplatin.
%U http://www.indianjcancer.com/article.asp?issn=0019-509X;year=2004;volume=41;issue=1;spage=3;epage=7;aulast=Aroori