title: Multi-center phase II trial of weekly paclitaxel plus cisplatin combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric and gastro-esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is performed to evaluate the response rate, time to progression and safety of the combination chemotherapy with weekly paclitaxel plus cisplatin in advanced gastric and gastro-esophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The paclitaxel 100 mg/m(2) was administered through a 1 h intravenous infusion on Days 1 and 8. The cisplatin 30 mg/m(2) was also administered along with a program of forced diuresis that included at least 2000 ml of fluids after the paclitaxel infusion over 30 min on Days 1 and 8. The chemotherapy was given every 21 days and continued until disease progression, patient refusal or an unacceptable toxicity up to nine cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-seven (95.9%) of the 49 patients were assessable for response. Two cases of complete response and 19 cases of partial response were confirmed, giving an overall response rate of 42.9% (95% CI, 29.0-56.8%). The median time to progression and overall survival for all patients were 5.9 months (95% CI, 1.6-9.1 months) and 11.2 months (95% CI, 6.1-21.3 months). The most severe hematologic adverse event was neutropenia, which occurred with a Grade 3 intensity in 17.0% and Grade 4 in 4.3%. Grade 3 vomiting, peripheral neuropathy and elevated transaminase were observed in 4.3%, 4.3% and 2.1% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination of weekly paclitaxel plus cisplatin is an active regimen with excellent tolerability as a first-line treatment of advanced gastric and gastro-esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Wuxi 2nd Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Chaoying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Haijun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Baoliang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Haiyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wenxiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Daoyuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin