title: High curative resection rate with weekly cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, epidoxorubicin, 6S-leucovorin, glutathione, and filgastrim in patients with locally advanced, unresectable gastric cancer: a report from the Italian Group for the Study of Digestive Tract Cancer (GISCAD).
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of a weekly preoperative chemotherapy in locally advanced, unresectable gastric cancer. In all, 82 patients with an Eastern Oncology Cooperative Group PS <or=2 and normal cardiac function were enrolled onto the study. Surgical unresectability was confirmed in 52 patients (63%) at laparotomy, and in 30 (27%) cases by CT scan of the abdomen and endoscopic ultrasonography. Chemotherapy treatment was: cisplatin 40 mg x m(-2); 5-fluorouracil 500 mg x m(-2); epidoxorubicin 35 mg x m(-2); 6S-leucovorin 250 mg x m(-2) and glutathione 1.5 g x m(-2) (PELF). One cycle consisted of 8 weekly treatments. Response to chemotherapy was observed in 40 of 82 patients (49%): six (7%) complete and 34 (41%) partial responses, and in four (5%) cases a complete pathological response was confirmed. Of the 40 responding patients, 37 (45%) had potentially curative surgery. Grade 3/4 leucopenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in three and two patients. At a median follow-up of 48 months, 25 of the 37 resected patients (68%) were alive and 24 (65%) were disease free. The median and 4-year survival for the whole group was 17 months and 31%, respectively. The median survival was 12 months for inoperable patients and it was not reached in resected patients.
authors.affiliation: Clinica di Oncologia, Università Politecnica delle Marche-Azienda Ospedaliera Umberto I, via Conca, Ancona 60020, Italy. cascinu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cascinu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scartozzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Labianca
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaniboni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvagni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martignoni
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Beretta
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Graziano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berardi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Franciosi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D000069585:Filgrastim; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005978:Glutathione / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D058766:Levoleucovorin; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D015251:Epirubicin; D058766:Levoleucovorin; D005978:Glutathione; D000069585:Filgrastim; D002945:Cisplatin; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil