title: Phase II study of biweekly docetaxel and S-1 combination chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of biweekly S-1 and docetaxel combination therapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with histologically proven, unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer, a performance status (PS) of 0-2 and no prior chemotherapy history were eligible for inclusion (n = 45). Patients received a total of 215 treatment courses (median, 4; range, 2-12) of S-1 oral administration twice daily for 1 week followed by a drug-free interval of 1 week. Docetaxel (40 mg/m(2)) was administered intravenously on days 1 and 15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed 25 partial responses (55.6%) and one complete response (2.2%), resulting in an overall response rate of 57.8%. Twenty-four patients (53.3%) received second-line chemotherapy. Five patients (11.1%) underwent R0 gastrectomy during the course of the study. The median overall survival time was 15.3 months, the median time to progression was 6.9 months, and the median duration of response in 26 patients was 8.0 months. Neutropenia was the most frequently observed (40.4%) haematological toxicity at grades 3 and 4 and leucopenia was the second most common (29.8%). There were no treatment-related deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S-1 plus docetaxel combination therapy in an outpatient setting provided promising activity with acceptable adverse toxicities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gastroenterological Center, Yokohama City University, 4-57 Urafune-cho, Minami-ku, Yokohama 232-0024, Japan.
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kunisaki
authors.forename: Masazumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hirochika
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takagawa
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kosaka
authors.forename: Hidetaka A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Hirotoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kameda
authors.forename: Fumihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kito
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Endo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010094:Oxonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D043823:Taxoids; C079198:S 1 (combination); D005641:Tegafur; D000077143:Docetaxel; D010094:Oxonic Acid