[A study of chemotherapy for patients with severely advanced gastric cancer--comparison of chemotherapy and route]

Abstract

We analyzed the clinical response, toxicities, ambulatory and overall survival time among 51 patients with inoperable gastric cancer, to evaluate chemotherapies and drug delivery routes. Twenty-nine patients were treated by Methotrexate/5-FU (FMTX) therapy and 22 by 5-FU/CDDP (FP) therapy. Twenty-five patients were treated by intra-arterial (IA) route and 26 by intra-venous (IV). The response rate of IA therapy was higher than that of IV therapy (p < 0.05), 48% and 19%, respectively. Median survival times of FMTX and FP were 361 and 289 days, respectively, and the 1-year survival rates of FMTX and FP were 44% and 33%, respectively, with no significant differences. Duration of home chemotherapy with FMTX was longer than that with FP, at 130 and 85 days, respectively. There was no difference between duration of home chemotherapy of IA and that of IV. IA chemotherapy showed a higher response rate than IV, but there were no differences in the incidence of side effects and ambulatory and overall survival time.