Clinical Study

Phase II Trial of Neoadjuvant Cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracil and Interferon-Alpha in Operable Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus
Shouki Bazarbashi^a, Mahmoud Abdelsalam^a, Tarek Amin^b, Mazen El-Bassiouni^a, Hussein Soudy^a, Amr Elweshi^a, Hamed Alhusseiny^a, Khaled Rehman^a, Muhammed Memon^a, Dahish Ajarim<sup>a

a</sup>King Faisal Cancer Center and
^bDepartment of Surgery, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Address of Corresponding Author

Chemotherapy 2008;54:315-322 (DOI: 10.1159/000151353)

  Key Words

• Esophageal cancer
• Interferon-
• Neoadjuvant chemotherapy

  Abstract

Background: The combination of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin and interferon (IFN)- was found to result in a high response rate in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods: Resectable cases of esophageal SCC were treated with 3 cycles of chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin 70 mg/m² i.v. on day 1, 5-FU 500 mg/m²/day i.v. as a continuous infusion on days 1-5 and IFN- 4 million units/m²/day s.c. on days 1-5. Cycles were repeated every 21 days. Esophagectomy was performed 3-5 weeks after the 3rd cycle of chemotherapy. Results: Thirty patients were enrolled in the trial. Toxic death was observed in 1 patient because of esophageal perforation. Pathologically, complete response was observed in 4 of 23 patients who had esophagectomy. At a median follow-up period of 21.4 months, median progression-free survival was 11.5 months and median overall survival was 26.3 months. Conclusion: This regimen has substantial activity in localized SCC of the esophagus with encouraging survival duration.

Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Mahmoud Abdelsalam, MD
Department of Medical Oncology, MBC 64
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center
PO Box 3354, Riyadh 11211 (Saudi Arabia)
Tel. +966 50 319 5076, Fax +966 144 00824, E-Mail mabdelsalam@kfshrc.edu.sa

  Article Information

Received: September 25, 2007
Accepted after revision: April 22, 2008
Published online: August 14, 2008
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 6, Number of References : 28