title: Emerging role of capecitabine in gastric cancer.
abstract: For many years, a regimen of fluorouracil and cisplatin has been the standard of care for the treatment of patients with metastatic gastric cancer. More recently, triplet regimens that incorporate fluorouracil and cisplatin with epirubicin (ECF) or docetaxel are being used in the management of patients with metastatic disease; ECF is also being used as preoperative treatment of resectable disease. Capecitabine, a prodrug of fluorouracil that can be taken orally, has been assessed as an alternative to intravenous fluorouracil and has demonstrated noninferiority to its parent compound. Several trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of regimens combining capecitabine with other known active drugs against gastric cancer in doublet and triplet combinations. Oral capecitabine appears to be more convenient to administer than infused fluorouracil because it may obviate the need for central venous access and its associated risk of complications. All of these findings support consideration of capecitabine among the available drug treatment options for patients with metastatic and those with operable gastric cancers.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers, National Tumor Institute, Naples, Italy. pasqualecomella@libero.it
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Comella
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casaretti
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Portu
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Menditto
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil