[Combined radiotherapy and pre-radiation chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for advanced esophageal carcinoma. I. Clinical evaluation in cases with distant metastases].

Eight patients with untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus accompanying distant metastases who were treated by one to five cycles of chemotherapy consisting of Cisplatin and 120 hour infusion of 5-Fluorouracil were reported. Two patients showed complete response (CR), four partial response (PR), one minor response, and one no response. High response rate of 75% (6 of 8) was obtained. Radiation therapy was then administered to six of the patients. After definitive treatment, CR was obtained in four, and PR in two of the cases. However, relapses were noted in all four of the CR cases, with four at distant sites, and one locally. Five of the eight patients (62.5%) survived one year and two survived three years (25%). Two patients could not receive radiotherapy because of uncontrollable lung metastases or death from duodenal ulcer. Although the follow-up period is still short, the combined treatment of radiation and pre-radiation chemotherapy appears to be an effective treatment, and has made a major impact upon survival time in cases of disseminated esophageal carcinoma.