Paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin combination chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin (TFL) as first-line treatment in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). One hundred and thirteen patients were enrolled in the study who were confirmed to have AGC by histopathology. These patients were treated with TFL: paclitaxel at a dose of 135 mg/m as a 3-h intravenous infusion on day 1, LV 400 mg/m as an intravenous infusion over 2 h on day 1, followed by 5-fluorouracil 2400 mg/m as an infusion over a 46-h period on 3 consecutive days. Cycles were repeated every 2 weeks. A total of 113 patients were assessed for their response to therapy. A total of three patients achieved complete responses and 46 patients achieved partial responses, yielding an overall objective response rate of 43.4% [95% confidence interval (CI): 34.3-52.5%]. Fifty-four cases of stable disease and 10 cases of progressive disease were observed in the remaining patients. The median time to progression and overall survival were 5.2 months (95% CI: 4.7-5.8 months) and 14.1 months (95% CI: 12.5-15.8 months), respectively. Toxicities were tolerable and moderate. The most common grade 3-4 toxicities included leukopenia (16.8%), neutropenia (17.7%), anemia (8.0%), thrombocytopenia (5.3%), and fatigue (6.2%). Combination chemotherapy with TFL offers an active and safe therapeutic approach for patients with AGC.

Paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin combination chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (POFL) in patients with recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-eight patients with histologically confirmed recurrent or metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma were treated with the POFL regimen: paclitaxel at a dose of 135 mg/m2 as a 3-hour intravenous infusion on day 1, oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 and leucovorin 400 mg/m2 as an intravenous infusion over 2 hours on day 1, followed by 5-fluorouracil 2,400 mg/m2 as an infusion over a 46-hour period on 3 consecutive days, in a 2-week cycle. RESULTS: Twelve patients could not be evaluated for response because of the absence of any measurable lesions or early discontinuation of therapy, so responses were assessed in 126 patients. The overall objective response rate was 56.3% (95% CI, 47.5%-64.9%). The median time to progression was 6.7 months (95% CI, 5.8-7.6 months), and the median overall survival was 12.6 months (95% CI, 11.3-13.9 months). The most common grade 3 and 4 toxicities were neutropenia (50.7%), peripheral neurotoxicity (16.7%) and alopecia (27.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Combination chemotherapy with POFL offers a new, active and safe approach to the treatment of recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer.

Combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and oxaliplatin as first-line treatment in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: This study is a retrospective analysis evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of combination chemotherapy with Paclitaxel (PTX) and Oxaliplatin (OXA) as first-line treatment for patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). METHODS: One hundred and seven patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma received intravenous infusions of PTX at 135 mg/m2 and OXA at 85 mg/m2 on day 1 every 14 days. RESULTS: Among 107 patients enrolled, 9 patients could not be evaluated for a response because of the absence of any measurable lesions. Assessment of the response of 98 patients was made. The overall objective response rate was 42.9% (95% CI 32.9-52.8%), with two complete responses and 40 partial responses. The disease control was 79.6% (95% CI 71.5-87.7%). With 29 months of the median time of follow-up, the median progression-free survival was 5.8 months (95% CI 4.30-7.30 months) and the median overall survival was 11.5 months (95% CI 9.08-13.9 months). The 1-year survival rate was 48.0%. The most common grades 3 and 4 toxicities included neutropenia (32.7%), leucopenia (17.8%), fatigue (5.61%), and anemia (4.67%). Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 23.4% patients and grade 2 or higher peripheral neuropathy occurred in 12.1% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Combination chemotherapy with PTX and OXA offers a new, effective and safe regimen for patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Combination Chemotherapy with S-1 and Oxaliplatin (SOX) as First-Line Treatment in Elderly Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer.

This study is a retrospective analysis evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of combination chemotherapy with S-1 and oxaliplatin (SOX) as first-line treatment in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. One hundred and twenty-nine patients with recurrent or metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma were treated with SOX; S-1 (40-60 mg depending on patient's body surface area) was given orally, twice daily on days 1 to 14 followed by a 7-day rest period, 130 mg/m(2) oxaliplatin was given as an intravenous infusion over 2-hours on day one. The cycle was repeated every three weeks. All of the patients were older than 65 years. Among 129 patients enrolled, nine patients could not be evaluated for responses because of the absence of any measurable lesions or early discontinuation of therapy. Assessment of the response of 120 patients was made. The overall objective response rate was 54.2 % (95 %CI, 45.3-63.1 %), with three complete responses and 62 partial responses. The disease control rate was 80.8 % (95 %CI, 73.8-87.8 %). The median follow-up period was 23 months (range, 5-42 months). The median time to progression was 6.9 months (95 %CI, 5.5-8.3 months) and the median overall survival was 12.8 months (95 %CI, 11.4-14.2 months). The one-year survival rate was 57.5 % (95 %CI, 48.7-66.3 %). In 129 patients assessed safety, grade 3 and 4 toxicities included leucopenia (20.9 %), neutropenia (24.0 %), anemia (10.9 %), thrombocytopenia (10.1 %), anorexia (3.1 %), peripheral neurotoxicity (15.5 %), and fatigue (12.4 %). No treatment-related deaths occurred. Combination chemotherapy with SOX offers an effective, safe and well-tolerated regimen for elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer.