A retrospective clinical study of comparing paclitaxel plus S-1 versus paclitaxel plus cisplatin as the first-line treatment for patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND In advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), paclitaxel plus cisplatin are considered as active and tolerable. The current clinical study was conducted to retrospectively compare the efficacy and safety of first-line paclitaxel/S-1(PS) and paclitaxel/cisplatin(TP) regimens in advanced ESCC. RESULTS The overall response rate of PS was slightly, but not significantly, higher (25 patients, 46%) than that of TP (23 patients, 39%, P = 0.432). Median overall survival (OS) was similar for PS and TP (11.5 months vs. 10.4 months, p = 0.37). However PS had longer median progression-free survival than TP (PFS: 5.5 months vs5.0months, p = 0.04). When compared with PS, more grade 3 or 4 adverse events were recorded for TP, including leukopenia, neutropenia, anemia, anorexia and vomiting (P < 0.05). No treatment-related deaths were recorded in either group. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 2008 and 2014, all patients diagnosed with advanced ESCC and treated with paclitaxel/S-1 or paclitaxel/cisplatin at Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University were analyzed retrospectively. One hundred and thirteen patients were included in this study. Disease control rates and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were recorded. Survival analysis was calculated by using Kaplan-Meier method. CONCLUSIONS The PS option improves PFS and its OS is similar to TP. Moreover, the PS regimen is an effective and safe first-line treatment for ESCC with less hematological and non-hematological toxicity.