Source
Department of Thoracic and Visceral Organ Surgery, Gunma University, Faculty of Medicine, 3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan. takeyosi@showa.gunma-u.ac.jp
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The efficacy of systemic chemotherapy for peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer remains unclear. The efficacy of weekly paclitaxel in combination with doxifluridine (5'-DFUR) in gastric cancer patients with malignant ascites was evaluated.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
Patients with histologically confirmed gastric cancer with ascites were eligible. The treatment consisted of paclitaxel intravenously (i.v.) administered at 80 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks, and doxifluridine administered orally at 533 mg/m(2) on days 1-5 every week. The response rate for patients with ascites was determined based on the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma. Also, the concentration of paclitaxel in the ascites was measured.
RESULTS:
Twenty-four patients were investigated. The response rate (RR) was 41.7%, including complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) in 4 and 6 patients, respectively. The concentration of paclitaxel in the ascites was maintained between 0.01 μM and 0.05 μM until 72 hours. The median overall survival (OS) was 215 days, and 1-year survival rate was 29.2%. No severe toxicity was noted.
CONCLUSION:
Weekly paclitaxel in combination with doxifluridine is effective for gastric cancer patients with malignant ascites with an acceptable toxicity profile.