Gefitinib single drug in treatment of advanced esophageal cancer

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and toxicity of gefitinib single drug in treatment of advanced esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods: Forty-one case of advanced esophageal cancer were included from February 2012 to June 2016 in the Department of Oncology, Huaihe Hospital of Henan University. All of the included 41 cases were pathology or cytology confirmed of esophageal cancer with advanced stage with previously chemotherapy regimen of cisplatin or fluorouracil. The patients received gefitinib 250 mg/day orally until disease progression or development of unbearable drug-related toxicity. The objective response rate, overall survival, disease-free survival, and drug-related toxicity were recorded. Results: All of the 41 cases had evaluable lesions with complete response rate of 0.0% (0/41), partial response rate of 4.9% (2/41), stable disease rate of 34.1% (14/41), and progression disease rate of 61.0% (25/41). The objective response rate and disease control rate were 4.9% (2/41) and 39.0% (25/41), respectively. At the follow-up, end-point of October 2016, we observed 33 death of the included 41 patients with median disease progression time of 2.2 months and median survival time of 6.1 months; most of the drug-related toxicity was Grade 1u3 nonhematological toxicity with the incidence of Grade 1u2 rash of 51.2% (21/41), Grade 3u4 rash of 17.1% (7/41), Grade 1u2 diarrhea of 26.8% (11/41), Grade 3u4 diarrhea of 7.3% (3/41), Grade 1u2 nausea and vomiting of 14.6% (6/41). Conclusion: Gefitinib can improve the survival rate and quality of life in patients with advanced stage esophageal cancer who failed for first-line chemotherapy.