title: Phase II study of paclitaxel and carboplatin in advanced gastric cancer previously treated with 5-fluorouracil and platinum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin has been used to treat patients with many types of tumor, including gastric cancer. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of this combination in advanced gastric cancer patients previously treated with 5-fluorouracil and platinum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who had pathologically been proven to have measurable lesions were treated with paclitaxel (200 mg/m(2) for 3 h) and carboplatin [area under the concentration-time curve (AUC = 6)] on day 1 and in 21 day cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A partial response was achieved in 10 of 45 patients [22%, 95% confidence interval (CI), 10-34]. Of the 32 patients previously treated with cisplatin, four (13%) achieved partial response, whereas, of the 13 patients previously treated with heptaplatin, six (46%) achieved partial response. In all patients, the median time to progression was 14 weeks (95% CI, 10-18), and the median overall survival was 32 weeks (95% CI, 26-38). The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (40% of patients) and neuropathy (2.2%). Two patients developed neutropenic fever. However, there were no treatment-related deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin is feasible in patients with advanced gastric cancer who were previously treated with 5-fluorouracil and platinum.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea. changhm@amc.seoul.kr
authors.forename: Heung Moon
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Tae Won
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Baek-Yeol
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Seong-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yeon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung Shin
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Woo Kun
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon-Koo
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010984:Platinum / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D010984:Platinum; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D005472:Fluorouracil