Purpose: To evaluate the efficiency and toxicities of nedaplatin and paclitaxel in patients with metastatic carcinoma of the esophagus.
Methods: Thirty-nine untreated patients with confirmed metastatic tumors were enrolled. Patients were treated with nedaplatin 80 mg/m(2) and paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) on day 1. Treatment was repeated every 21 days.
Results: Thirty-six patients were eligible to be evaluated to have had a response. The overall response rate was 43.6% (17/39), with complete response and partial response rates of 2.6 and 41%, respectively. The median progression-free survival and overall survival time was 6.1 and 10.3 months, respectively. Grade 3/4 toxicities were only observed in six patients [neutropenia in three patients (7.7%) and nausea/vomiting in three patients (7.7%)].
Conclusion: Comparing to other regimens, combination of nedaplatin and paclitaxel achieved an encouraging clinical outcome, with relatively minimal toxicities for patients with metastatic esophageal carcinoma.