Blockade of interleukin 10 potentiates antitumour immune function in human colorectal cancer liver metastases.

OBJECTIVE: Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) checkpoint inhibition and adoptive cellular therapy have had limited success in patients with microsatellite stable colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM). We sought to evaluate the effect of interleukin 10 (IL-10) blockade on endogenous T cell and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell antitumour function in CRLM slice cultures. DESIGN: We created organotypic slice cultures from human CRLM (n=38 patients' tumours) and tested the antitumour effects of a neutralising antibody against IL-10 (αIL-10) both alone as treatment and in combination with exogenously administered carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-specific CAR-T cells. We evaluated slice cultures with single and multiplex immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridisation, single-cell RNA sequencing, reverse-phase protein arrays and time-lapse fluorescent microscopy. RESULTS: αIL-10 generated a 1.8-fold increase in T cell-mediated carcinoma cell death in human CRLM slice cultures. αIL-10 significantly increased proportions of CD8+ T cells without exhaustion transcription changes, and increased human leukocyte antigen - DR isotype (HLA-DR) expression of macrophages. The antitumour effects of αIL-10 were reversed by major histocompatibility complex class I or II (MHC-I or MHC-II) blockade, confirming the essential role of antigen presenting cells. Interrupting IL-10 signalling also rescued murine CAR-T cell proliferation and cytotoxicity from myeloid cell-mediated immunosuppression. In human CRLM slices, αIL-10 increased CEA-specific CAR-T cell activation and CAR-T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, with nearly 70% carcinoma cell apoptosis across multiple human tumours. Pretreatment with an IL-10 receptor blocking antibody also potentiated CAR-T function. CONCLUSION: Neutralising the effects of IL-10 in human CRLM has therapeutic potential as a stand-alone treatment and to augment the function of adoptively transferred CAR-T cells.

Circulating activated immune cells as a potential blood biomarkers of non-small cell lung cancer occurrence and progression.

BACKGROUND: Treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has greatly improved in recent years. However, noninvasive early screening for carcinogenesis and progression unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the predictive value of peripheral blood immune cells in untreated NSCLC patients. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 305 untreated NSCLC patients and 132 healthy participants from February 2016 to August 2019 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Immune cell levels were determined by flow cytometry and routine blood tests. RESULTS: NSCLC patients had lower levels of T lymphocytes, NK cells, CD8+ T cells, naïve CD4+/CD4+, naïve CD4+ T cells and higher levels of CD4+ T cells, memory CD4+/CD4+ T cells, memory CD4+ T cells, CD4+CD28+/CD4+ T cells, CD4+CD28+ T cells, CD8+CD28+/CD8+ T cells, CD8+HLA-DR+/CD8+ T cells, CD8+HLA-DR+ T cells T cells, CD8+CD38+/CD8+ T cells, CD8+CD38+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ T cells than those in controls. The percentages of specific lymphocyte subtypes were significantly different in cancer patients versus healthy individuals. For instance, cancer patients had lower levels of B cells, CD4+ T cells, naïve CD4+/CD4+ T cells, naïve CD4+ T cells, CD4+CD28+ T cells, CD8+CD28+ T cells and higher levels of NK cells, white blood cells (WBC), monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes to lymphocyte ratio (MLR), neutrophils to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), eosinophil to lymphocyte ratio (ELR), basophil to lymphocyte ratio (BLR), and blood platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal T cell levels can be used as an independent predictive biomarker for noninvasive early screening in NSCLC occurrence and progression.

Efficacy of Gemcitabine and S-1 for Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer.

Objective To explore the efficacy and toxicities of gemcitabine combined with S-1 in treating locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and prognostic factors. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer receiving gemcitabine and S-1 as first-line therapy in the Department of Medical Oncology,Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2014 to January 2017.Gemcitabine was administered at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 over 30 min-utes on days 1 and 8,and oral S-1 at a dose of 40-60 mg twice daily from days 1 to 14,repeated every 3 weeks.All patients received at least two cycles of chemotherapy. Results A total of 60 patients were included,13(22%) achieved partial remission,37(61%) had stable disease,and 10(17%) experienced progressive disease.The median progression-free survival was 7 months(95% CI=6-10 months) and the median overall survival was 12 months(95% CI=9-20 months).Both univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors showed primary resection was significant in predicting shorter progression-free survival and lung metastasis was significant for shorter overall survival.The most common grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia(27%) and leukopenia(18%). Conclusion Gemcitabine combined with S-1 is an effective regimen with manageable toxicities in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer and can be used as first-line therapy.

Serum chromogranin A levels for the diagnosis and follow-up of well-differentiated non-functioning neuroendocrine tumors.

Circulating chromogranin A (CgA) level is a useful marker for diagnosis and treatment efficacy monitoring of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). To evaluate the diagnostic value of serum CgA in well-differentiated non-functioning NETs and to investigate the correlation between changes in serum CgA levels and imaging responses in patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease, 60 healthy controls and 82 patients with NETs (28 with localized NETs and 54 with advanced NETs) treated between December 2010 and November 2014 were included. CgA levels were determined by ELISA. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of serum CgA. Correlation between CgA levels and tumor burden was analyzed. Serial CgA measurements and tumor responses (evaluated according to the RECIST 1.1 criteria) in 40 patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease were recorded. Using a cutoff value of 84 ng/mL, the sensitivity of serum CgA was 67 %, with a specificity of 78 %. Serum CgA levels of patients with different tumor burdens were significantly different. Progressions were observed in 38 out of 122 visits. Using a 28 % increase of serum CgA concentration as the best cutoff value, the sensitivity and specificity were 79 and 86 %, respectively, with positive and negative predictive values of 71 and 90 %, respectively, to determine disease progression. Serum CgA measurement had a modest sensitivity for the diagnosis of non-functioning NETs. However, increases of CgA levels combined with imaging might be helpful in detecting tumor progression in patients with NETs.

Efficiency of Sunitinib in Chinese Patients with Advanced Progressive Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor.

Objective To explore the efficiency of sunitinib in Chinese pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) patients. Methods Advanced pNET patients who had accepted sunitinib treatment in the oncology department of PUMC Hospital from January 2009 to June 2015 after disease progression were enrolled in this study. Data collection included clinicopathological characteristics,medical therapies and outcomes. Results Eighteen pNET patients were collected. The overall response rate (ORR) was 27.7% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 83.3%. Nine patients received sunitinib as the first-line therapy and 9 as the second/post-second line. The median progression-free survival (mPFs)(12 month vs. 12 month;HR:0.92,95%CI:0.31-2.75,P=0.88),ORR (22.2% vs.33.3%;Χ(2)=0.055,P=0.98),and DCR (88.9% vs.77.8%;Χ(2)=0.4,P=0.98)showed no significant difference between first-line therapy and post-second line therapy. The mPFS of Ki-67≥10% and Ki-67<10% group patients was not significantly different (8 months vs. 13 months;HR:1.13,95% CI:0.34-3.77,P=0.845). The commonly reported adverse events included bone marrow suppression,diarrhea,roteinuria,hypertension,and rash. Conclusions First-line or second/post-second line sunitinib treatment has certain antitumor activity in Chinese patients with advanced pNET. The efficiency and commonly reported adverse events of Sunitinib are consistent with the known Western data.

MicroRNA-1246 enhances migration and invasion through CADM1 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aberrant expression of microRNAs has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in the initiation and progression of hepatocarcinoma. miR-1246 expression in High invasive ability cell line than significantly higher than that in low invasive ability cell line. METHODS: Transwell chambers (8-uM pore size; Costar) were used in the in vitro migration and invison anssay. Dual luciferase reporter gene construct and Dual luciferase reporter assay to identify the target of miR-1246. CADM1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistric staining. The clinical manifestations, treatments and survival were collected for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Inhibition of miR-1246 effectively reduced migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-1246 specifically targeted the 3'-UTR of Cell adhesion molecule 1 and regulated its expression. Down-regulation of CADM1 enhanced migration and invasion of HCC cell lines. Furthermore, in tumor tissues obtained from liver cancer patients, the expression of miR-1246 was negatively correlated with CADM1 and the high expression of miR-1246 combined with low expression of CADM1 might serve as a risk factor for stage1 liver cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that miR-1246, by down-regulation CADM1, enhances migration and invasion in HCC cells.

Chromogranin A is a reliable serum diagnostic biomarker for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors but not for insulinomas.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are a group of rare tumors. Chromogranin A (CgA) was considered as the most practical and useful serum tumor marker in PNET patients. But peripheral blood levels of CgA are not routinely tested in Chinese patients with PNETs. This study was to assess the diagnostic value of CgA in Chinese patients with PNETs especially in patients with insulinomas. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients with PNETs including 57 insulinomas and 32 non-insulinoma PNETs as well as 86 healthy participants were enrolled in this study between September 2003 and June 2013. Serum levels of CgA were measured by ELISA method. Expression of CgA protein was detected in 26 PNET tissues including 14 insulinomas by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Serum levels of CgA in 89 PNET patients were significantly higher than that in healthy controls (P = 7.2 × 10-9). Serum levels of CgA in 57 patients with insulinomas (median 64.8 ng/ml, range 25-164) were slightly higher than the levels in healthy controls (median 53.4 ng/ml, range 39-94) but much lower than the levels in 32 patients with non-insulinoma PNETs (median 193 ng/ml, range 27-9021), P = 0.001. The serum CgA levels were reduced in 16 of 17 patients with insulinomas after tumor resection. ROC curve showed that CgA values at 60 ng/ml distinguished patients with insulinomas from healthy controls but its sensitivity and specificity were 66.7% and 73.3%, respectively. In contrast, CgA values at 74 ng/ml distinguished patients with non-insulinoma PNETs from healthy controls, and the sensitivity and specificity were 65.6% and 91.9%, respectively. Except for two insulinomas with negative staining of CgA, 12 insulinoma tissues showed positive staining of CgA. CONCLUSION: CgA is a reliable serum diagnostic biomarker for PNETs but not for insulinomas.

The transcriptomic landscape of normal and ineffective erythropoiesis at single-cell resolution.

The anemias of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA) are generally macrocytic and always reflect ineffective erythropoiesis yet result from diverse genetic mutations. To delineate shared mechanisms that lead to cell death, we studied the fate of single erythroid marrow cells from individuals with DBA or MDS-5q. We defined an unhealthy (vs healthy) differentiation trajectory using transcriptional pseudotime and cell surface proteins. The pseudotime trajectories diverge immediately after cells upregulate transferrin receptor (CD71), import iron, and initiate heme synthesis, although cell death occurs much later. Cells destined to die express high levels of heme-responsive genes, including ribosomal protein and globin genes, whereas surviving cells downregulate heme synthesis and upregulate DNA damage response, hypoxia, and HIF1 pathways. Surprisingly, 24% ± 12% of cells from control subjects follow the unhealthy trajectory, implying that heme might serve as a rheostat directing cells to live or die. When heme synthesis was inhibited with succinylacetone, more DBA cells followed the healthy trajectory and survived. We also noted high numbers of messages with retained introns that increased as erythroid cells matured, confirmed the rapid cycling of colony forming unit-erythroid, and demonstrated that cell cycle timing is an invariant property of differentiation stage. Including unspliced RNA in pseudotime determinations allowed us to reliably align independent data sets and accurately query stage-specific transcriptomic changes. MDS-5q (unlike DBA) results from somatic mutation, so many normal (unmutated) erythroid cells persist. By independently tracking erythroid differentiation of cells with and without chromosome 5q deletions, we gained insight into why 5q+ cells cannot expand to prevent anemia.

Single-cell analysis of erythropoiesis in Rpl11 haploinsufficient mice reveals insight into the pathogenesis of Diamond-Blackfan anemia.

Rpl11 haploinsufficient mice develop a macrocytic anemia similar to patients with DBA. Here, we fully characterize this model from clinical and pathophysiological perspectives. Early erythroid precursors have increased heme content and high cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species, impairing erythroid differentiation at the colony-forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E)/proerythroblast stage and subsequently. Using single-cell analyses that link a cell's surface protein expression to its total transcriptome and unbiased analyses, we found GATA1, GATA1 target gene, and mitotic spindle pathway gene transcription were the pathways that decreased the most. Expression of ribosome protein and globin genes was amplified. These changes, as well as the other transcriptional changes that were identified, closely resemble findings in mice that lack the heme export protein FLVCR and, thus, suggest that heme excess and toxicity are the primary drivers of the macrocytic anemia. Consistent with this, treating Rpl11 haploinsufficient mice with corticosteroids increased the numbers of earliest erythroblasts but failed to overcome heme toxicity and improve the anemia. Rpl11 haploinsufficient mice uniquely upregulated mitochondrial genes, p53 and CDKN1A pathway genes, and DNA damage checkpoint genes, which should contribute further to erythroid marrow failure. Together our data establish Rpl11 haploinsufficient mice as an excellent model of DBA that can be used to study DBA pathogenesis and test novel therapies.

[Treatment and prognosis of 77 cases of small cell lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical treatment modality and prognosis of small cell lung cancer(SCLC). METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 77 SCLC patients who were admitted to our department after 2002. RESULTS: The disease was limited in 43 patients and extensive in 34 patients. For patients with limited SCLC, the 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year survival rate was 80%, 56%, and 21%, respectively. Four patients who had undergone surgical resection were all alive. Among patients who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy, salvage chemotherapy, and salvage chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy, the median of survival period was 51 months, 12 months, and 28 months, respectively. For patients with extensive SCLC, the 1-year and 2-year survival rate was 56% and 25%, respectively. The median of survival period was 14.3 months. Stage was an independent factor in multifactor COX regression. Monofactor COX regression showed that radiotherapy and resection were factors correlated with survival. Brain metastasis had no impact on survival. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy is preferred for limited SCLC, while surgical resection remains questionable for early-stage patients. For extensive SCLC, multi-line chemotherapy may be helpful to improve the overall survival. Stage is an independent factor for predicting the prognosis.

Modulation of Immune Checkpoints by Chemotherapy in Human Colorectal Liver Metastases.

Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related death, and incidence is rising in younger populations (younger than 50 years). Current chemotherapies can achieve response rates above 50%, but immunotherapies have limited value for patients with microsatellite-stable (MSS) cancers. The present study investigates the impact of chemotherapy on the tumor immune microenvironment. We treat human liver metastases slices with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus either irinotecan or oxaliplatin, then perform single-cell transcriptome analyses. Results from eight cases reveal two cellular subtypes with divergent responses to chemotherapy. Susceptible tumors are characterized by a stemness signature, an activated interferon pathway, and suppression of PD-1 ligands in response to 5-FU+irinotecan. Conversely, immune checkpoint TIM-3 ligands are maintained or upregulated by chemotherapy in CRC with an enterocyte-like signature, and combining chemotherapy with TIM-3 blockade leads to synergistic tumor killing. Our analyses highlight chemomodulation of the immune microenvironment and provide a framework for combined chemo-immunotherapies.

Circulating activated lymphocyte subsets as potential blood biomarkers of cancer progression.

The objective of this study was to predict the value of lymphocyte subsets in cancer progression. Peripheral blood was obtained from 327 untreated patients with cancer and 158 healthy volunteers. Levels of lymphocyte subsets were determined by flow cytometry. There were decreased levels of natural killer (NK) cells, CD8+ T cells, and naïve CD4+ /CD4+ T cells in untreated patients with cancer compared to those in healthy controls. Inversely, there were elevated levels of the following T-cell percentages in cancer patients compared to those in healthy controls: memory CD4+ /CD4+ , CD8+ T cells, HLA-DR/CD8+ , CD8+ CD38+ /CD8+ , and CD4+ /CD8+ . In addition, there are a decreasing trend in terms of CD4+ T-cell counts and an increase CD8+ HLA-DR/CD8+ T-cell and CD8+ CD38+ /CD8+ T-cell percentages in the advanced stage. An increasing trend with advanced tumor stage and the percentages of CD8+ HLA-DR/CD8+ T cells and CD8+ CD38+ /CD8+ T cells was shown in this study. There are a negative correlation for CD4+ T-cell counts and positive correlation for percentages of CD8+ HLA-DR/CD8+ T cell and CD8+ CD38+ /CD8+ T cells with the lymph node metastasis. In the presence of distant metastatic spread, we observed higher NK-cell counts, CD8+ HLA-DR/CD8+ T-cell percentages, CD8+ CD38+ /CD8+ T-cell percentages, as well as lower CD4+ T-cell counts than those in the absence of distant metastases spread. Abnormal levels of NK cell, CD8+ T cells, memory CD4+ /CD4+ , naïve CD4+ / CD4+ , CD8+ HLA-DR/CD8+ , CD8+ CD38+ /CD8+ , and CD4+ /CD8+ can be a potential blood biomarkers of cancer development. CD4+ T-cell counts and percentages of CD8+ HLA-DR/ CD8+ and CD8+ CD38+ / CD8+ can predict the cancer progression.

Human Gut Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancer.

Human gut microbiota play an essential role in both healthy and diseased states of humans. In the past decade, the interactions between microorganisms and tumors have attracted much attention in the efforts to understand various features of the complex microbial communities, as well as the possible mechanisms through which the microbiota are involved in cancer prevention, carcinogenesis, and anti-cancer therapy. A large number of studies have indicated that microbial dysbiosis contributes to cancer susceptibility via multiple pathways. Further studies have suggested that the microbiota and their associated metabolites are not only closely related to carcinogenesis by inducing inflammation and immune dysregulation, which lead to genetic instability, but also interfere with the pharmacodynamics of anticancer agents. In this article, we mainly reviewed the influence of gut microbiota on cancers in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers) and the regulation of microbiota by diet, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, antibiotics, or the Traditional Chinese Medicine. We also proposed some new strategies in the prevention and treatment of GI cancers that could be explored in the future. We hope that this review could provide a comprehensive overview of the studies on the interactions between the gut microbiota and GI cancers, which are likely to yield translational opportunities to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality by improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Effect of Endostar combined with chemotherapy in advanced well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of Endostar and temozolomide or dacarbazine plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs).Phase II study of 14 patients with locally advanced or metastatic well-differentiated pNETs treated between April 2013 and September 2016. Patients received temozolomide or dacarbazine plus 5-FU, and Endostar. The primary outcome was the radiographic response rate.All 14 patients had nonfunctional pNETs. Six patients received temozolomide and 8 received dacarbazine + 5-FU, combined with Endostar. Thirteen patients were assessable for treatment response: 1(7%) with complete response, 5 (39%) with partial response, 5 (39%) with stable disease, and 2 (15%) with progression. The median progression-free survival was 12 months. The most common grade 1/2 toxicities were neutropenia (43%) and leucopenia (21%).Endostar combined with temozolomide or dacarbazine + 5-FU was effective in the treatment of advanced pNETs. The combinations were well tolerated.

Genetic analysis in a patient with nine primary malignant neoplasms: a rare case of Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

To identify rare mutations and retrospectively estimate the cancer risk of a 45-year old female patient diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), who developed nine primary malignant neoplasms in a period of 38 years, we conducted next-generation sequencing in this patient. Whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing were performed in DNA of whole blood obtained a year prior to the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and at the time of diagnosis of AML, respectively. We analyzed rare mutations in cancer susceptibility genes using a candidate strategy and estimated cancer risk using the Risk-O-Gram algorithm. We found rare mutations in cancer susceptibility genes associated with an increased hereditary cancer risk in the patient. Notably, the number of mutated genes in p53 signaling pathway was significantly higher than expected (p=0.02). However, the phenotype of multiple malignant neoplasms of the studied patient was unlikely to be caused by accumulation of common cancer risk alleles. In conclusion, we established the mutation profile in a rare case of Li-Fraumeni syndrome, illustrating that the rare mutations rather than the cumulative of common risk alleles leading to an increased cancer risk in the patient.

Gefitinib-Integrated Regimen versus Chemotherapy Alone in Heavily Pretreated Patients with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Mutated Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to compare the tolerability and efficacy of gefitinib combined with chemotherapy agents versus chemotherapy alone for the treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated lung adenocarcinoma in heavily pretreated patients. METHODS: The study was designed as a matched-pair case-control investigation to minimize intergroup heterogeneity. Patients were stratified into gefitinib plus chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone groups with matching for sex, age, ECOG performance status, progress-free survival (PFS) from previous EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment, EGFR mutation types, and tumor metastasis status. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were selected from our database using the matched-pair method. The median age was 61 years (95% confidence interval, 57-65 years). During a follow-up period of 14.5 months on average, the overall response rates of the gefitinib-integrated and chemotherapy alone groups were 9.1% and 6.5%, respectively (P > .05), whereas the corresponding disease-control rates were 39.4% and 30.3%, respectively (P > .05). No statistically significant differences in PFS (median, 4.2 vs 3.3 months; P = .06) and overall survival (median, 10.4 vs 7.9 months; P = .44) were observed between two groups. The 6-month survival rates of the gefitinib-integrated and chemotherapy alone groups were 21.2% and 12.1%, respectively (P < .05). Side effects were mild, and all treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that gefitinib-integrated therapy offered a trend to better PFS and an improved 6-month survival rate in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma. All treatments were well tolerated. Future prospective studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy with Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and Continuous-Infusion 5-Fluorouracil for Gastric Cancer: A Phase II Study.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant chemotherapy with the docetaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (DCF) regimen in patients with gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer were enrolled in this study after undergoing radical resection. The patients received the following chemotherapy: docetaxel (60 mg/m(2)) on day 1, cisplatin (12 mg/m(2) per day) on days 1 to 5, and 5-FU (2500 mg/m(2)) continuous infusion for 120 hours, repeated every 3 weeks for six cycles. The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: The median DFS was 17.0 months. The 1-year DFS was 72%, and the 2-year DFS was 37.5%. The median overall survival was 28.0 months. Using univariate analysis, the technique of lymph node dissection was a predictor for postoperative relapse. The median DFS was 15.0 months in the D1 group and 18.0 months in the D2 group (P = .043). The most frequent grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (56.25%), diarrhea (9.38%), nausea (6.25%), and vomiting (6.25%); 12.5% of patients developed febrile neutropenia. There were no chemotherapy-related deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The modified DCF regimen is an effective adjuvant chemotherapy in gastric cancer. Hematologic toxicity was frequent but manageable. This regimen merits further investigation.