[Oxaliplatin combined with capecitabine as first-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced gastric cancer].

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Combination therapy of oxaliplatin and capecitabine has certain effects on advanced gastric cancer (AGC). This study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of oxaliplatin in combination with capecitabine as first-line chemotherapy for AGC patients. METHODS: Thirty-three chemotherapy-naive patients with AGC were entered into this study. They received 2 h intravenous infusion of oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 on day 1 and oral administration of capecitabine 2000 mg/m2, given in two daily doses, on days 1-14 (XELOX regimen). The regimen was repeated every 21 days. A maximum of eight cycles were given. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients completed 159 cycles of chemotherapy with a median number of five cycles. Thirty-one patients were evaluable for efficacy. The response rate was 54.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 37.3%-72.3%], with one complete response (3.2%), 16 partial responses (51.6%), eight stable diseases (25.8%), and six progressions (19.4%). At a mean follow-up of 10.5 months, the median time to progression and overall survival were 5.9 (95% CI 4.7-7.1) and 10.4 months (95% CI 7.9-12.9), respectively. The most common adverse events were myelosuppression, peripheral neuropathy, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and hand-foot syndrome. CONCLUSION: XELOX is an effective and well-tolerated first-line chemotherapy regimen for patients with AGC.