Adjuvant chemotherapy in operable gastric cancer. 5 year follow-up of first British Stomach Cancer Group trial

Abstract

411 patients were entered into a prospective, randomised controlled trial of adjuvant chemotherapy after gastrectomy for adenocarcinoma. After a follow-up of at least 5 1/2 years there has been no survival advantage for those receiving adjuvant 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin C with or without an induction course of 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and methotrexate compared with those undergoing surgery only. There have been 366 deaths, including 22 from treatment-related conditions. A multivariate analysis of prognostic factors demonstrated that stage of disease, nodal and resection margin involvement, and the presence of residual disease are significant determinants of survival. Weight loss before surgery had a significant independent influence on survival. The combination of preoperative symptoms and intraoperative findings may be used to select patients for radical or palliative procedures.