Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 10, 269-274, Copyright © 1992 by American Society of Clinical Oncology

ARTICLES

Interferon alfa-2a and fluorouracil in the treatment of patients with advanced esophageal cancer

D Kelsen, D Lovett, J Wong, L Saltz, M Buckley, P Murray, R Heelan and C Lightdale
Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021.

PURPOSE: The trial was undertaken to determine the response rate to and toxicities from the combination of interferon alfa-2a (IFN) and fluorouracil (FU) in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective phase II trial conducted at a large tertiary referral cancer center and university hospital, 40 patients with advanced locoregional, metastatic epidermoid, or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus were given FU 750 mg/m2 by 24-hour continuous intravenous infusion days 1 to 5, followed by weekly outpatient bolus FU 750 mg/m2 and IFN 9 x 10(6) U three times per week from day 1. Dose was attenuated for fatigue, neurotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, and myelosuppression. RESULTS: Complete and partial responses were seen in 10 of 37 assessable patients with esophageal cancer (27%; 95% confidence interval, 0.13 to 0.41). Although substantial, toxicity was tolerable and primarily involved fatigue and mild myelosuppression. The median duration of response was 6.4 months (range, 2.8 to 14+ months). CONCLUSION: The combination of IFN and FU is an active regimen in the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer with a response rate similar to that reported for cisplatin- containing combinations in similar patient populations. Further studies based on this combination are indicated.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Kondo, H. Nagano, H. Wada, B. Damdinsuren, H. Yamamoto, N. Hiraoka, H. Eguchi, A. Miyamoto, T. Yamamoto, H. Ota, et al. Combination of IFN-{alpha} and 5-Fluorouracil Induces Apoptosis through IFN-{alpha}/{beta} Receptor in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Clin. Cancer Res., February 1, 2005; 11(3): 1277 - 1286. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Koshy, N. Esiashvilli, J. C. Landry, C. R. Thomas Jr., and R. H. Matthews Multiple Management Modalities in Esophageal Cancer: Combined Modality Management Approaches Oncologist, April 1, 2004; 9(2): 147 - 159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Eguchi, H. Nagano, H. Yamamoto, A. Miyamoto, M. Kondo, K. Dono, S. Nakamori, K. Umeshita, M. Sakon, and M. Monden Augmentation of Antitumor Activity of 5-Fluorouracil by Interferon {{alpha}} Is Associated with Up-Regulation of p27Kip1 in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Clin. Cancer Res., July 1, 2000; 6(7): 2881 - 2890. [Abstract] [Full Text]