A comparison between single and fractionated doses of albumin-bound paclitaxel in the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer: A multicenter case-control study.

Purpose: At present, albumin-bound paclitaxel combined with platinum is the standard first-line treatment option for advanced esophageal cancer (EC). However, following a hospitalization surge, clinicians may prefer to use albumin-bound paclitaxel as a single dose. The present study aimed to investigate the survival of patients with advanced EC when treated with single or fractionated doses of albumin-bound paclitaxel.

Methods: We collected survival data of patients with advanced first-line EC who had used albumin-bound paclitaxel with or without other treatment regimens from January 2018 to September 2023 at the Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital and the Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital. The patients were divided into two groups according to the frequency and dose of albumin-bound paclitaxel administration, namely the abraxane fractional administration group (A group, 27 patients) and the abraxane single administration group (B group, 182 patients).

Results: The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.0 months in both groups (p = 0.35), and the median overall survival (OS) was 21.0 months in A group and 18.0 months in B group (p = 0.61). The objective response rate was 37% in A group and 25% in B group (p = 0.314), and the disease control rate was 89% in A group and 83% in B group (p = 0.580). The incidence of grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events was 15% in both groups.

Conclusion: Albumin-bound paclitaxel treatments showed no statistically significant differences in the PFS or OS. They were considered safe, whether administered as a single dose or in fractionated doses.