INTENSIVE WEEKLY CHEMOTHERAPY FOR ADVANCED GASTRIC-CANCER USING 5-FLUOROURACIL, CISPLATIN, EPI-DOXORUBICIN, 6S-LEUCOVORIN AND GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR

Thirty-four advanced gastric cancer patients received, every week for nine weeks, 5-fluorouracil 500 mg/m2 iv; epi-doxorubicin 35 Mg/M2 iv; cisplatin 40 Mg/M2 iv; 6S-leucovorin 250 mg/M2 in 4 hour infusion. Gra nulocyte-colony stimulating factor, at the dose of 5 mug/kg, was admin istered daily from the day after to the day before each chemotherapy a dministration. 5 patients achieved a complete response and 20 a partia l response, resulting in an overall response rate of 72% (95% confiden ce interval, 59% to 88%). Median survival time was 12 months for all t he patients and 13 months for responding patients. Toxicity was mild. In conclusion, this regimen seems to be promising and suitable for fur ther studies in gastric cancer.