The efficacy and toxicities of combined lobaplatin with paclitaxel as a first-line chemotherapy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background: To assess the efficacy and toxicities of combined lobaplatin with paclitaxel (LP) as a first line chemotherapy in esophageal cancer. Methods: The clinical data of 45 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated initially with lobaplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy were collected and reviewed retrospectively. The overall response, treatment toxicities and dysphagia relief were analyzed with SPSS software. Results: The overall response rate was 42.2%, with 1 patient (2.2%) showing complete remission, 18 patients (40.0%) with partial remission, 19 (42.2%) with stable disease (SD), and 7 (15.6%) with progressive disease, respectively. The most common hematological toxicity was leucopenia with grade 0, I, II, III and IV in 16 (35.6%), 10 (22.2%), 11 (24.4%), 7 (15.6%), and 1 patient (2.2%), respectively. Thirty-seven patients (82.2%) experienced grade I-II nausea/vomiting without grade III-IV instances occurring. Four patients (8.9%) experienced grade I hepatotoxicity. No nephrotoxicity was observed. Five in thirteen patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) suffered severe radiation pneumonitis. The dysphagia resolved or improved in 32 patients (71%). Conclusions: Lobaplatin-paclitaxel showed a significant antitumor effect to squamous esophageal cancer with manageable toxicities. Limitation of the surveillance time and the retrospective nature, the effect that based on these data formal prospective trials appear warranted and are needed prior to routine first line use of this regimen.