The efficacy and safety of FOLFOX therapy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treatment. However, the 5-fluorouracil plus L-leucovorin and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) regimen is available in Japan as an alternative to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, but its efficacy and safety remain unclear. Hence, we aimed to evaluate patients with advanced ESCC who received FOLFOX therapy retrospectively. Patients with advanced ESCC who received FOLFOX therapy at 18 institutions between April 2019 and October 2020 were included. Fifty-two patients received first-line FOLFOX treatment, while 39 received later-line FOLFOX treatment. The median progression-free survival, median overall survival, and objective response rate were 3.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.0-5.0), 13.9 months (95% CI: 10.3-17.9 months), and 35% in the first-line group and 2.4 months (95% CI: 2.1-3.8 months), 7.2 months (95% CI: 5.3-9.8 months), and 4% in the later-line group, respectively. The most frequent grade 3 or 4 adverse events were neutropenia (23%) and anemia (12%) in the first-line group and neutropenia (18%), anorexia (13%), anemia (10%), and nausea (10%) in the later-line group. First-line FOLFOX treatment is suitable for patients with advanced ESCC. However, FOLFOX has shown limited efficacy as a later-line treatment.
Authors
- Toshizo Takayama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6030-1070)
- Kenro Hirata (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4536-7781)
- Yuki Matsubara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4009-0015)
- Keiji Sugiyama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8980-4739)
- Toshiki Masuishi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7521-1596)
- Toshihiko Matsumoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7397-1006)
- Yosuke Kito (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3677-9880)
- Keitaro Shimozaki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4559-5699)
- Yoshiyuki Yamamoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2932-5904)
- Shogen Boku (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5015-0379)
- Akinori Sugaya
- Shun Yamamoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9065-781X)
- Nozomu Machida (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9570-3670)
- Naoki Takahashi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6377-9507)
- Takashi Nishimura (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6148-393X)
- Mao Okada
- Mitsuhiro Furuta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4706-2615)
- Takako Yoshii
- Seiichiro Mitani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0033-8741)
- Suguru Hirose (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9457-538X)
- Takao Tsuzuki
- Azusa Komori (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0591-1025)
- K Tsuchihashi
- Kazuhiro Shiraishi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3131-1829)
Institutions
- Jikei University School of Medicine (JP)
- Kansai Medical University (JP)
- Kyushu University (JP)
- University of Tsukuba (JP)
- Oita University (JP)
- Keio University (JP)
- Kanagawa Prefectural Hospital Organization (JP)
- Ichinomiya Kenshin College (JP)
- Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital (JP)
- Saitama Cancer Center (JP)
- Himeji Red Cross Hospital (JP)
- Aichi Cancer Center (JP)
- National Hospital Organization (JP)
- Ibaraki Prefectural Central Hospital (JP)
- Shikoku Cancer Center (JP)
- National Cancer Center Hospital East (JP)
- Nagoya Medical Center (JP)
- Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital (JP)
- Japanese Foundation For Cancer Research (JP)
- Daido University (JP)
- Kindai University (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2025-03-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92657-7
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Esophageal Cancer Research and Treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.01