Table 2 Landmark studies of chemotherapy in the palliative settingAuthor
Experimental armControl armOutcomes% of esophageal/esophagogastric junction adenocarcinomaSubgroup outcomesFirst lineREAL-2 (2008) [29]ECFECXEOFEOXNoninferiority*Improved OS of EOX over ECF uponsecondary analysis (HR 0.8,p^ =0.02)Esophageal/esophagogastric junction ~60%Adenocarcinoma ~90%NRML 17032 (2009) [30]PXPFNoninferiorityNRNRSPIRITS (2008) [34]SPS-1Improved OS (HR 0.77,p^ =0.04) and PFS(6months vs. 4months,p^ <0.0001)NRNRFLAGS (2010) [35]SPPFSuperiority in OS not demonstrated17%NRAIO (2008) [38]FLOFLPNoninferiorityEsophagogastric junction ~20%NRSOX (2015) [39]SOXSPNoninferiorityNRNRV325 (2006) [40]TPFPFImproved TTP (HR 0.68,p^ <0.001) and OS(HR 0.77,p^ =0.02)22%NRSTART (2013) [44]TSS-1Improved OS and PFSmOS: 12.5months vs. 10.8months (p^ =0.032)mPFS: 5.3months vs. 4.2months (p^ =0.001)NRNRDank etal. (2008) [45]IFPFNoninferiority20%NRFrench Intergroup Study(2014) [46]FOLFIRIECXImproved TTF and safety profileTTF: 5.1months vs. 4.2months,p^ =0.00832.7%NRSecond line or beyondThuss-Patienceetal. (2011) [47]IrinotecanBSCImproved OS (HR 0.48,p^ =0.012)mOS: 4months vs. 2.4months42%NRKang etal. (2012) [50]Docetaxel orIrinotecanBSCImproved OS (HR 0.66,p^ =0.007)mOS: 5.3months vs. 3.8monthsNRNRFord etal. (2014) [48]DocetaxelBSCImproved OS (HR 0.67,p^ =0.01)mOS: 5.2months vs. 3.6months55%NRECFepirubicin, cisplatin and 5FU,ECXepirubicin, cisplatin and capecitabine,EOFepirubicin, oxaliplatin and 5FU,EOXepirubicin, oxaliplatin and capecitabine,OSoverall survival,NRnot reported,PXcispla-tin and capecitabine,PFcisplatin and 5FU,SPS-1 and cisplatin,PFSprogression-free survival,FLO5FU, leucovorin and oxaliplatin,FLP5FU, leucovorin and cisplatin,SOXS-1 and oxaliplatin,TPFdocetaxel,cisplatin and 5FU,TTPtime-to-progression,TSdocetaxel and S-1,IFirinotecan and 5FU,FOLFIRIirinotecan, leucovorin and 5FU,TTFtime-to-treatment failure,BSCbest supportive care