Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced cervical esophageal carcinoma: A phase II study of oral fluoropyrimidine agents (UFT, S-1) plus cisplatin with radiotherapy

6043 Background: Carcinoma of the cervical esophagus is a highly virulent disease. Although surgery is the standard therapy, the results of surgery alone are poor. Oral fluoropyrimidines (UFT, S-1) are useful to treat head and neck cancer and enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy. We evaluated concurrent chemoradiotherapy using an oral fluoropyrimidine (UFT, S-1) and cisplatin in patients with locally advanced cervical esophageal carcinoma. Methods: Chemoradiotherapy with UFT and cisplatin (R-U-P) consisted of 60Gy of radiotherapy during 6 weeks, with daily UFT (200 mg/m2/day) and a 24-h infusion of cisplatin (70 mg/m2) on Days 8 and 36. Chemoradiotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin (R-S-P) consisted of two courses. One included 30 Gy of radiotherapy over 3 weeks, with daily S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) for 2 weeks and a 24-h infusion of cisplatin (70 mg/m2) on Day 8. The other included chemoradiotherapy after 2 weeks. Responders received at least 2 four-week courses of the chemotherapy. Results: Twenty patients were enrolled: 8 were treated with R-U-P and 12 with R-S-P. Four patients had stage II tumors and 16 had stage III tumors. All patients completed the chemoradiotherapy. The most prominent toxicity was myelosuppression. Grades 3 and 4 leukocytopenia occurred in 5 (25%) and 2 (10%) patients, respectively. Nonhematologic toxicity was moderate: grade 2 nausea/vomiting, pain, oral mucositis, and renal dysfunction occurred in 25%, 25%, 20% and 10% of the patients, respectively. Complete response (CR) was attained in all 4 patients with stage II tumors. In stage III cases, CR, partial response (PR), and response rates were 81%, 13%, and 94%, respectively these reached 75%, 17%, and 92% in the R-U-P group, and 90%, 10%, and 100% in the R-S-P group, respectively. All stage II patients survived. In stage III cases, the one-year survival rate was 75% and the three-year survival rate was 50%. Conclusions: Chemoradiotherapy with an oral fluoropyrimidine (UFT, S-1) plus cisplatin is convenient, tolerable, and effective, and it is a promising nonsurgical management option for patients with locally advanced cervical esophageal carcinoma. No significant financial relationships to disclose.