A retrospective analysis of second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
Because treatment of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients after failure with first-line chemotherapy remains controversial, we performed this retrospective analysis based on the data obtained from 1455 patients registered in a first-line treatment cohort with respect to receiving or not receiving subsequent chemotherapy.


METHODS
The decision for administering second-line chemotherapy was, in most cases, at the discretion of the physician. Seven-hundred twenty-five (50%) received second-line chemotherapy after first-line failure. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the recognized baseline parameters for survival.


RESULTS
At the time of initiating second-line chemotherapy, the patients' median age was 56 years (range, 22 to 86) and 139 (19%) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 2 or more. Seven (1%) complete and 108 (15%) partial responses to second-line chemotherapy were observed for an overall response rate of 16% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13 to 19%). The median progression-free and overall survivals, calculated from the start of second-line chemotherapy, were 2.9 months (95% CI, 2.6 to 3.3) and 6.7 months (95% CI, 5.8 to 7.5), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that low baseline hemoglobin level (hazard ratio [HR], 0.74; 95% CI 0.61-0.90) and a poor performance status (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.52-0.83) were independent negative prognostic factors for overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Performance status, along with baseline hemoglobin level, could be used to identify the subgroup of patients most likely to benefit from second-line chemotherapy for AGC.
Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, 50 Ilwon-dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea. sanghoon.ji@samsung.com
Sang Hoon
SH
Ji
Do Hyoung
DH
Lim
Seong Yoon
SY
Yi
Hyo Song
HS
Kim
Hyun Jung
HJ
Jun
Kyoung Ha
KH
Kim
Myung Hee
MH
Chang
Min Jae
MJ
Park
Ji Eun
JE
Uhm
Jeeyun
J
Lee
Se Hoon
SH
Park
Joon Oh
JO
Park
Young Suk
YS
Park
Ho Yeong
HY
Lim
Won Ki
WK
Kang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D018943:Anthracyclines; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D043823:Taxoids; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002945:Cisplatin; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin