[FEP and FAP combination chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer. Research Group for Gastric Cancer].

ABSTRACT

Twenty-six patients with unresectable gastric cancer, divided into two groups, were treated with combination chemotherapy of FEP (14 patients) or FAP (12 patients). The FEP regimen performed every 4 weeks was as follows UFT 400 mg/m2 (p.o.) everyday, etoposide 50 mg/m2 (i.v.) and CDDP 30 mg/m2 (i.v.) on days 1, 8 and 15. FAP regimen was performed every 4 weeks was UFT 400 mg/m2 (p.o.) everyday, adriamycin 10 mg/m2 (i.v.) and CDDP 30 mg/m2 (i.v.) on days 1, 8 and 15. In FEP group, (7 males and 7 females) the average age was 64 (range 53 to 75). Two patients were in PS 1, 4 in PS 2 and 8 in PS 3. In FAP group (7 males and 5 females) the average age was 55 (range 30 to 74). One patient was in PS 1, 5 in PS 2 and 6 in PS 3. No one in either group had prior chemotherapy. Response rates in FEP and FAP groups were 28.5% (4/14) and 33.3% (4/12), respectively. The median survival periods were 4.5 months in FEP group and 6.5 months in FAP group. As for side effects, myelosuppression appeared most frequently, being followed by alopecia and nausea, although the degree of alopecia was milder in FEP than in FAP. We conclude that new combination chemotherapies of either FEP or FAP are useful for advanced gastric cancer.