Cetuximab in patients with esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Esophageal cancer is one cause of the most common cancer death and diagnosed in approximately half a million people annually worldwide, as well as has resulted in worse status, which is responsible for an estimated 482,300 new cases and 406,800 deaths in 2008, and is the fifth highest in the mortality rate among tumor sites. Esophageal cancer mainly occurred in southern and eastern Africa, eastern Asia and some areas of China. The results of meta-analysis suggested that survival rate can be improved [relative risk (RR) 1.6; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.17–2.18]; objective response rate (RR 1.47; 95 % CI 1.05–2.06) and disease control rate (RR 1.21; 95 % CI 1.03–1.43) in combination group are superior to that of the control group; however, the higher incidence of acne-like rash was caused (RR 9.03; 95 % CI 1.64–49.63) . Moreover, collated differences in overall survival rate and progression-free survival remained the most common grade 3/4/5 toxicities, and quality of life after intervention revealed no evidence of a difference between the two groups. With the present evidence, there is no role for cetuximab combined with standard approaches for esophageal cancer.