title: Etoposide, doxorubicin (Adriamycin) and cisplatin regimen in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma: experience with a lower dose schedule.
abstract: A phase II trial of etoposide (100 mg/m2) on days 4, 5, 6, doxorubicin (Adriamycin, 20 mg/m2) on days 1, 7, and cisplatin (30 mg/m2) on days 2, 8 (EAP) was carried out in order to reduce toxicity associated with a full-dose EAP regimen for advanced and/or metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma. Out of 21 evaluable patients, 2 (10%) had a complete response (CR), 7 (33%) had a partial response (PR), 4 (20%) showed no change and 8 progressed (38%). The mean duration of response (CR+PR) was 8.4+ months. Survival of the whole group was 7.5+ months. Treatment was quite well tolerated by most patients on an outpatient basis. Grade 3 vomiting and leukopenia were seen in 30% and 35% of cases respectively. One patient had grade 3 esophagitis, and 1 patient was hospitalized for severe grade 4 febrile leukopenia. Although the EAP regimen cannot be considered a standard therapy for gastric cancer, the EAP schedule employed in this study seems to be better tolerated than those reported by other authors, and can safely be given on an outpatient basis.
authors.affiliation: Service of Chemotherapy, Institute of Pharmacology, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gebbia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valenza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sciume
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cipolla
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Borsellino
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Latteri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Florena
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D002945:Cisplatin