A phase II study of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin as first-line chemotherapy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed at assessing the efficacy and safety of oxaliplatin plus oral capecitabine (XELOX regimen) as first-line chemotherapy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC).


METHODS
Forty-six eligible patients aged ≥70 years with previously untreated AGC received oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) intravenously over a 2-hour period on day 1 plus oral capecitabine 850 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1-14, every 3 weeks.


RESULTS
All patients were evaluable for toxicity and 45 patients for efficacy. A median of 6 cycles (range 1-8) was administered. The overall response rate was 48.9% (95% CI 34-64) with 1 complete response, 21 partial responses, 15 stable diseases and 8 progressions. Median time to progression was 6.0 months (95% CI 3.9-8.1), and the median overall survival was 10.0 months (95% CI 8.6-11.4). Toxicity was fairly mild. Grade 3 toxicities included neutropenia (6.5%), thrombocytopenia (2.2%), nausea (2.2%), vomiting (4.3%), diarrhea (4.3%) as well as peripheral neuropathy (2.2%); grade 4 toxicities occurred in none of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The XELOX regimen with capecitabine at a lower dose of 850 mg/m(2) is active, fairly tolerable and conveniently delivered as first-line chemotherapy for elderly AGC patients.
Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Xiao Jun
XJ
Xiang
Ling
L
Zhang
Feng
F
Qiu
Feng
F
Yu
Zheng Yu
ZY
Zhan
Miao
M
Feng
Jun
J
Yan
Jian Guo
JG
Zhao
Jian Ping
JP
Xiong
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000209:etiology; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D010071:Oxaloacetates; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology
D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D010071:Oxaloacetates; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil