[A case of a patient with stage IVa esophageal cancer surviving over 4 years by combination chemotherapy with docetaxel,5 -FU and cisplatin, without operation].

A male patient in his 50s was found to have lower thoracic advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with the chief complaint of dysphagia in July 2006. CT revealed supraclavicular lymph node metastasis, and he was diagnosed as clinical stage IVa. He underwent two courses of combination chemotherapy with docetaxel, 5-FU and cisplatin(DFP therapy: docetaxel at 25mg/m / / 2 on day 1, 5-FU at 370 mg/m2 on days 1-5, and cisplatin at 7 mg/m2 on days 1-5 were repeated weekly for 4 weeks). The primary tumor disappeared and the lymph node was reduced as observed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and CT. After 2 courses of DFP therapy, PET-CT revealed that the primary tumor and lymph node had no new accumulation. Because he refused both operation and chemoradiotherapy, the patient underwent oral chemotherapy. In January 2010, PET-CT and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed that the primary tumor relapsed. DFP therapy was performed and was effective once again. He has survived for over 4 years and 4 months without operation.