title: A phase II study of a combined biweekly irinotecan and monthly cisplatin treatment for metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no universally confirmed standard chemotherapeutic regimen for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of combined biweekly irinotecan and monthly cisplatin treatments of patients with AGC. The primary end point was progression-free survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  AGC patients with or without measurable lesions received 70 mg/m2 irinotecan on days 1 and 15, and 80 mg/m2 cisplatin on day 1 every 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 40 enrolled patients, 21 patients had measurable disease. With a median follow-up duration of 35 weeks, the median progression-free survival and overall survival were 2.2 months and 8.0 months, respectively. The progression-free survival rate at 6 months was 30.0%. The most common adverse event of grade 3 to 4 was neutropenia (32.5%). Grade 3 diarrhea was observed in 2 patients (5.0%). There was no treatment-related death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current combined biweekly irinotecan and monthly cisplatin treatment did not show activity comparable with other active regimens in AGC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chong Kun
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Rha
authors.forename: Hei-Cheul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jeung
authors.forename: Joong Bae
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Sang Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sung Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Jae Kyung
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Hyun Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000077146:Irinotecan; D002945:Cisplatin; D002166:Camptothecin