Phase II study of weekly paclitaxel and cisplatin combination therapy for advanced or recurrent gastric cancer

Abstract

Background/aims: This study was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of weekly paclitaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Methodology: Patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer were required to have ECOG performance status of 0 to 2, to be over 20 years of age, and to have adequate organ function. Paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 was administered intravenous over 1.5 h, followed by cisplatin 25 mg/m2 on day 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks.

Results: All of the 52 patients enrolled, 49 patients were eligible. One patient had complete response. Nineteen had partial response, 13 had stable disease, 8 had progressive disease and 8 had not been evaluated. The median progression-free survival time was 166.5 days and median survival time was 323 days. The most common grade 3 to 4 hematological toxicies were leucopenia (14.3%), neutropenia (32.7%), and anemia (16.3%). The most common grade 3 non-hematological toxicities included anorexia (6.1%), nausea (4.1%), vomiting (2.0%) and fatigue (2.0%). No grade 4 non-hematological toxicities were reported.

Conclusions: Combination chemotherapy of weekly paclitaxel and cisplatin was highly active and well tolerated in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.