An open, multi-centre, phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel, UFT, and leucovorin in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the response rate and safety of weekly paclitaxel (Taxol((R))) combination chemotherapy with UFT (tegafur, an oral 5-fluorouracil prodrug, and uracil at a 1 : 4 molar ratio) and leucovorin (LV) in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Patients with histologically confirmed, locally advanced or recurrent/metastatic gastric cancer were studied. Paclitaxel 1-h infusion at a dose of 100 mg m(-2) on days 1 and 8 and oral UFT 300 mg m(-2) day(-1) plus LV 90 mg day(-1) were given starting from day 1 for 14 days, followed by a 7-day period without treatment. Treatment was repeated every 21 days. From February 2003 to October 2004, 55 patients were enrolled. The median age was 62 years (range: 32-82). Among the 48 patients evaluated for tumour response, two achieved a complete response and 22 a partial response, with an overall response rate of 50% (95% confidence interval: 35-65%). All 55 patients were evaluated for survival and toxicities. Median time to progression and overall survival were 4.4 and 9.8 months, respectively. Major grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia in 25 patients (45%) and diarrhoea in eight patients (15%). Although treatment was discontinued owing to treatment-related toxicities in nine patients (16%), there was no treatment-related mortality. Weekly paclitaxel plus oral UFT/LV is effective, convenient, and well tolerated in treating patients with advanced gastric cancer.
Chao
Y
Y
Cancer Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Li
C P
CP
Chao
T Y
TY
Su
W C
WC
Hsieh
R K
RK
Wu
M F
MF
Yeh
K H
KH
Kao
W Y
WY
Chen
L T
LT
Cheng
A L
AL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D005641:Tegafur / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014498:Uracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004338:Drug Combinations; D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002955:Leucovorin