Retrospective study of photodynamic therapy vs photodynamic therapy combined with chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone on advanced esophageal cancer

Objective: To compare the short-term curative effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT), PDT combined with chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone on the advanced esophageal cancer patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 90 patients of esophageal cancer underwent PDT, PDT combined with chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone from 2004 to 2007 (stages III-IV), including 27 cases received PDT alone, 33 cases received PDT combined with chemotherapy and 30 cases chemotherapy alone. The enrolled patients were treated with intravenous administration of Photofrin as the photosensitizer at a dose of 2 mg/kg. 630 nm laser irradiation was performed through optical fiber that passed through the biopsy channel of a flexible endoscope after 48 h. Two days later, the necrotic tissue was removed, and the primary sites and other newly identified lesions were subjected to a second irradiation and then the residual necrotic tissue was removed according to the patients' condition. Electronic endoscopy was performed to observe the effectiveness on tumor after 1 month. In PDT combined with chemotherapy group, chemotherapy regimen was 5-FU and DDP, administered 4 cycles after PDT and chemotherapy alone group only chemotherapy regimen 5-FU and DDP for four cycles. All the 90 patients were followed up for 2 years. Results: Symptomatic palliation rate of the PDT alone group, the complex treatment group and chemotherapy alone group was 85.2%, 93.9% and 60.0%, respectively, and effective rate under endoscopy was 85.2%, 90.9% and 63.3%, respectively, there is no statistically significant difference; the survival rate of 2 years was 29.6%, 54.5% and 16.7%, respectively, and mediumsurvival time is longer (III stages 13m, 22m, 10 m; IV stages 7m, 5m, 4 m), there is statistically significant difference (p = 0.046). Conclusion: PDT combined with chemotherapy for the advanced esophageal cancer is superior to PDT alone and chemotherapy alone. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.