A Phase II Study of Gefitinib Monotherapy in Advanced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: Evidence of Gene Expression, Cellular, and Clinical Response

Abstract

Gefitinib (500 mg/d) is an active and generally well-tolerated treatment for ACE. Studies on endoscopic biopsies are feasible and indicate that gefitinib inhibits both gene expression and cellular biology at 500 mg/d, and these may provide surrogate end points for predictive biomarkers. Further trials of gefitinib are warranted, particularly as patient response seems to be durable and current second-line chemotherapy options have no proven ability to prolong life.