title: Impact of adjuvant chemotherapy cycles on prognosis of resectable stomach cancer: a retrospective analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of adjuvant chemotherapy cycles on the prognosis of patients with post-operative stomach cancer through retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 128 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of epirubicin, cisplatin or oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and 5-fluorouracil, according to a defined schedule, were divided into three groups according to the number of chemotherapy cycles: Group I (<6 cycles); Group II (6 cycles); and Group III (>6 cycles).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 20.8% in Group I, 45.0% in Group II, and 42.9% in Group III, with a median follow-up of 43 months. The 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) was 15.1% in Group I, 40% in Group II, and 40% in Group III. The OS and RFS in Groups II and III were significantly better than in Group I (OS, p = 0.002 and p=0.003; RFS, P<0.001 and P=0.002). There was no difference in OS (p = 0.970) or in RFS (p = 0.722) between Groups II and III. Multivariate Cox hazard analysis determined that the number of adjuvant chemotherapy cycles was an independent factor that influenced OS and RFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy gave encouraging outcomes in patients with resectable gastric cancer. Further prospective randomized controlled investigations are warranted in a multi-center setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Ying
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wen-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Hai-Hua
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yan-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D015251:Epirubicin; D002945:Cisplatin; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil