The role of chemotherapy in the management of gastric cancer.
Despite a marked decline in the incidence of gastric carcinoma in Western countries, the majority of patients presents with advanced inoperable tumors. In this setting, usually the aim of therapy is palliation, with the exception of chemotherapy administered in the attempt to downstage the tumor and to facilitate potentially curative surgery in patients with locally advanced nonmetastatic disease. This review will focus on the use of chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer and after curative surgery, providing an overview of future directions for clinical research: preoperative (neoadjuvant) systemic chemotherapy, intraperitoneal treatment, and newer drugs.
De Vivo
R
R
Division of Med Oncol B, National Cancer Institute, Napoli, Italy.
Pignata
S
S
Palaia
R
R
Parisi
V
V
Daniele
B
B
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005472:Fluorouracil