Inclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

- Histologically confirmed metastatic, or recurrent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

- Age > 18 years

- ECOG performance status 0 - 2

- At least one measurable lesion(s) by RECIST criteria

- Life expectancy ≥ 3 months

- No prior palliative chemotherapy

- Patients may have received prior adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-FU with cisplatin as
long as it has been 6months since completion of regimen.

- Adequate bone marrow function (≥ ANC 1,500/ul, ≥ platelet 100,000/ul, ≥ Hb 9.0 g/dl)

- Adequate renal function (≤ serum creatinine 1.5 mg/dl or CCr ≥ 50 ml/min)

- Adequate liver function (≤ serum bilirubin 1.5 mg/dl, ≤ AST/ALT x 3 UNL)

- Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

- Other tumor type than squamous cell carcinoma

- CNS metastasis

- Contraindication to any drug contained in the chemotherapy regimen

- Previous adjuvant treatment with 5-FU, cisplstin, capecitabine or paclitaxel finished
less than 1 year6 months

- Evidence of serious gastrointestinal bleeding

- History of another malignancy within the last five years except cured

- basal cell carcinoma of skin and cured carcinoma in-situ of uterine cervix

- Clinically significant cardiac disease

- Serious pulmonary conditions/illness

- Serious metabolic disease such as severe non-compensated diabetes mellitus

- History of significant neurologic or psychiatric disorders

- Serious uncontrolled intercurrent infections, or other serious uncontrolled
concomitant disease

- Positive serology for the HIV

- Pregnancy, breast feeding patient