Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly docetaxel and cisplatin versus docetaxel and nedaplatin for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma

Here the research was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of weekly docetaxel and nedaplatin (DN) versus docetaxel and cisplatin (DP) when given concurrently with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in locally advanced esophageal carcinoma (EC). From January 2012 to January 2015, 71 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the DP group or the DN group. The two groups were both administered with IMRT at a single dose of 2 Gy/F per week for 5 days, 58-60 Gy totally. The DP regimen group was treated with 25 mg/m(2) docetaxel on day 1 and 25 mg/m(2) cisplatin (DDP) on day 2. In the DN regimen group, 25 mg/m(2) docetaxel was administered on day 1 and 25 mg/m(2) nedaplatin (NDP) on day 2. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in progression-free survival (PFS) (23.1% vs. 18.8%, P=0.541) or 2-year overall survival (OS) (41.4% vs. 37.5%, P=0.575). The median survival time of living patients was 18 months (95% CI, 11.131-24.869 months)in the DN group and 16 months in the DP group (95% CI, 10.456-21.544 months) (P>0.05). The main hematological toxicity was leukocytopenia, which affected 82.1% and 59.4% of the DN and DP groups, respectively (P=0.035). Non-hematological toxicities, such as gastrointestinal toxicity, occurred in 30.8% and 50.6% of the DN and DP groups, respectively (P=0.031). In conclusion, we initially found that IMRT concomitant with a DN regimen was a feasible alternative to DP, performed well, and was a beneficial treatment for EC.