Phase II study of weekly paclitaxel as a second-line treatment for S-1-refractory advanced gastric cancer.

Background: We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of weekly paclitaxel therapy as second-line treatment for patients with advanced gastric cancer that was refractory to S-1.
Patients and Methods: In total, 33 patients received intravenous paclitaxel (80 mg m(-2)) on days 1, 8 and 15 as part of a 4-week cycle.
Results: Eight patients showed a partial response, 11 showed stable disease and 14 showed disease progression. In total, 171 courses (mean=5.2; range=3-16) were administered. Thirteen cases subsequently underwent third-line treatment. The median survival time and time to progression from the time of second-line treatment was 8.0 months and 4.2 months, respectively. The most common haematological toxicities were leukopenia and neutropenia. Non-haematological toxicities were generally mild to moderate and controllable.
Conclusion: This study showed favourable therapeutic outcomes for advanced gastric cancer patients. However, it will be necessary to confirm the advantages of paclitaxel treatment for S-1-refractory advanced gastric cancer in a larger population.