Cisplatin, Vindesine, Pepleomycin and Combined Radiation Therapy for Inoperable Esophageal Carcinoma

Sixteen inoperable esophageal cancer patients, including sixover 80 years of age, were given combined chemoradiation therapy.The treatment consisted of radiation therapy (50–60 Gyfor 6–7 wk on days 1 to 46) combined with cisplatin (50mg/m² i.v. on days 22 and 50), vindesine (3 mg/m² i.v. on days22 and 50) and pepleomycin (5 mg i.m. on days 23 to 27 and 51to 55). The treatment was well-tolerated. The overall responserate was 56%, with three complete responses and six partialresponses. For 10 patients with loco-regional disease (stageII-III), the response rate was 70%. The overall median survivalwas 7 mo and the survival rate was 31% at one year and 23% attwo years. For loco-regional disease, the one and two-year survivalrates were 40 and 27%, respectively, with a median survivalof 8 mo. The protocol is worthy of being considered for treatinginoperable, poor-risk esophageal cancer patients.