Purpose: Feasibility and efficacy of four different adjuvant radiochemotherapy regimens in patients with completely resected gastric cancer were evaluated in consecutive cooperative phase II trials using different 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based combination chemotherapies (CTX) and 5-FU-enhanced radiotherapy.
Methods: Between 2000 and 2005, 157 patients with completely resected gastric adenocarcinoma were included. The study design was based on two cycles of CTX and irradiation with 45 Gy plus concomitant 5-FU 225 mg/m(2) per 24 h between these two cycles. CTX cycles consisted of 5-FU, folinic acid (FA), cisplatin plus paclitaxel (FLPP); 5-FU, FA and cisplatin (FLP); 5-FU, FA and irinotecan (FLI); or 5-FU, cisplatin plus docetaxel (FPD).
Results: Median follow-up for all four trials was 18 months (range, 1-64) without significant difference between the four regimens: FLPP 30 months (2-46+), FLP 18 months (1-64+), FLI 15 months (1-26), FPD 10 months (5-19+). Treatment associated toxicity was tolerable and did not differ significantly between the four CTX regimens. Across all patients grade (3/4), toxicities during the first cycle/chemoradiation/second cycle consisted of leukocytopenia 4%/2%/30%, anorexia 5%/10%/6%, diarrhea 6%/1%/3%, nausea 2%/7%/2%. Early death occurred in one patient due to Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Median progression free survival was 23 months for FLPP, 18 months for FLP, 14 months for FLI, 9 months for FPD (not significant). One-year-overall survival rates were 95% for FLPP, 82% for FLP, 94% for FLI, 86% for FPD.
Conclusion: Adjuvant radiochemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer can be safely given continuous infusion of 5-FU at 225 mg/m(2) per day. In addition, a variety of 5-FU-based multiagent chemotherapy regimen with defined activity in gastric cancer appears both safe and effective when given prior and after radiochemotherapy in this setting.