The efficacy of docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer after failing to 5-fluorouracil based chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to confirm the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy (DP) in patients with advanced gastric cancer.


METHODS
Patients with measurable gastric adenocarcinoma received intravenous docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) and cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) with premedication on day 1, which was repeated every 3 weeks. All patients received DP as a second-line treatment after failing to 5-FU based chemotherapy.


RESULTS
34 patients were enrolled in this study between January 1998 and August 2003. A total of 112 cycles (median 3 cycles) were administered. Responses were evaluable in 30 patients. The objective response rate was 16.7% (95% CI: 3.5 approximately 30.3), with a stable disease in 56.7% (95% CI: 40.0 approximately 74.4) and a progressive disease in 26.7% (95% CI: 10.9 approximately 42.5) of patients, with a median follow up duration of 20 months for all the patients, The median duration of response, time to progression and overall survival were 2.1 months (95% CI: 0.4 approximately 3.9), 4.2 months (95% CI: 2.3 approximately 6.1) and 6.8 months (95% CI: 1.3 approximately 12.3), respectively, with a 1-year survival rate of 32%. The toxicity was evaluated in 30 patients, with neutropenia being most common. Renal impairment was seen in two patients with grade 3 creatinine elevation and liver enzyme elevation in four with grades 3 and 4.


CONCLUSIONS
Although DP was an active combination regimen, with a tumor control rate of about 73% and with moderate tolerance, adjustment of the administration schedule, with further evaluation of other combination chemotherapies of docetaxel with new agents, other than cisplatin, seem warranted.
Shin
Sang-Joon
SJ
Division of Hematology-oncology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
Kim
Min-Kyoung
MK
Lee
Kyung-Hee
KH
Hyun
Myung-Soo
MS
Kim
Sang Woon
SW
Song
Sun Kyo
SK
Bae
Sung-Hwa
SH
Ryoo
Hun-Mo
HM