Docetaxel (DTX) and carboplatin (CP) followed by a dose-ranging study of oral capecitabine, weekly DTX, concomitant radiotherapy and surgery for the treatment of patients with stage II-III carcinoma of the esophagus

4049 Background: We previously reported promising phase I data using neoadjuvant weekly DTX and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with thoracic irradiation followed by surgery in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. This trial was modified in an attempt to improve the pathological complete response rate by increasing the 5-FU exposure during thoracic radiation with oral capecitabine (C). Here we report preliminary results from our dose escalation, trimodality trial. Methods: 18 patients with esophageal cancer (16 = adenocarcinoma, 2 = squamous) were consented and enrolled on this study. Patients (Pts) were staged with a CT scan and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Neoadjuvant therapy included DTX, 80 mg/M2, and CP, AUC 6, intravenously every three weeks for 2 cycles. Subsequently, concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CXRT) was initiated with DTX, 15 mg/M2, weekly for five doses and C (7 = 500 mg, 3 = 1000 mg, 8 = 1500 mg) orally prior to each fraction of irradiation (50.4 Gy in 28 fractions). Pts were then restage...