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The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination regimen of docetaxel plus oxaliplatin in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Patients with previously untreated metastatic or recurrent, measurable gastric cancer received intravenous docetaxel 65 mg m(-2) plus oxaliplatin 120 mg m(-2) on day 1 based on a 3-week cycle. Forty-two patients were enrolled in the current study, among whom 39 were assessable for efficacy and all assessable for toxicity. One complete response and 18 partial responses were confirmed, giving an overall response rate of 45.2% (95% confidence interval (CI); 31.7-59.7%). At a median follow-up of 7.7 months, the median time to progression and median overall survival was 5.7 (95% CI; 4.3-7.2) months and 9.9 (95% CI; 7.8-12.0) months, respectively. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 11 patients (26.1%) and febrile neutropenia was observed in four patients (9.5%). The common non-haematologic toxicity was fatigue (grade 1/2, 61.9%) and nausea (grade 1/2, 47.7%). The combination of docetaxel and oxaliplatin was found to be well tolerated and effective in patients with advanced gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination regimen of capecitabine plus irinotecan in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Patients with previously untreated metastatic or recurrent, measurable gastric cancer received oral capecitabine 1000 mg m(-2) twice daily from day 1 to 14 and intravenous irinotecan 100 mg m(-2) on days 1 and 8, based on a 3-week cycle. Forty-one patients were enrolled in the current study, among whom 38 were assessable for efficacy and 40 assessable for toxicity. Three complete responses and 16 partial responses were confirmed, giving an overall response rate of 46.3%. At a median follow-up of 269 days, the median time to progression and overall survival were 5.1 and 8.6 months, respectively. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in four patients and grade 3 febrile neutropenia was observed in two patients. Grade 3 diarrhoea and grade 2 hand-foot syndrome occurred in six patients and eight patients, respectively. The combination of capecitabine and irinotecan was found to be well tolerated and effective in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Accordingly, this regimen can be regarded as one of first-line treatment options for advanced gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]