title: Prognostic factors in first-line chemotherapy treated metastatic gastric cancer patients: a retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The majority of patients with gastric cancer in developing countries present with advanced disease. Systemic chemotherapy therefore has limited impact on overall survival. Patients eligible for chemotherapy should be selected carefully. The aim of this study was to analyze prognostic factors for survival in advanced gastric cancer patients undergoing first-line palliative chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 107 locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer patients who were treated with docetaxel and cisplatin plus fluorouracil (DCF) as first-line treatment between June 2007 and August 2011. Twenty-eight potential prognostic variables were chosen for univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 28 variables of univariate analysis, nine variables were identified to have prognostic significance: performance status, histology, location of primary tumor, lung metastasis, peritoneum metastasis, ascites, hemoglobin, albumin, weight loss and bone metastasis. Multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazard model, including nine prognostic significance factors evident in univariate analysis, revealed weight loss, histology, peritoneum metastasis, ascites and serum hemoglobin level to be independent variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performance status, weight loss, histology, peritoneum metastasis, ascites and serum hemoglobin level were identified as important prognostic factors in advanced gastric cancer patients. These findings may facilitate pretreatment prediction of survival and can be used for selecting patients for treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey. dr.ainal@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inal
authors.forename: M Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuçukoner
authors.forename: Zuhat
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Urakci
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guven
authors.forename: Necip
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nas
authors.forename: Muharrem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yunce
authors.forename: Abdurrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Işikdogan
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil