COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY WITH TEGAFUR-URACIL (UFT), ETOPOSIDE, ADRIAMYCIN AND CISPLATINUM (UFT-EAP) FOR ADVANCED GASTRIC-CANCER

Thirty-four patients with advanced gastric cancer were treated with co mbination chemotherapy employing Tegafur-Uracil (UFT), etoposide, Adri amycin, and Cisplatinum (CDDP) (UFT-EAP therapy). An objective partial response was obtained in 16 patients (47%) and the median duration of remission was 12.2 months. The 50% survival time for all 34 patients was 10 months. Patients with moderately or well differentiated adenoca rcinoma responded well (13/19, 68%), while those with undifferentiated adenocarcinoma showed a poor response (13/15, 20%). Six responding pa tients were noted to have no evidence of viable cancer at the primary site by endoscopic biopsy, and underwent gastrectomies. The resected s pecimens showed complete disappearances of the primary tumors in four patients. The median survival time for the patients receiving gastrect omies was 24 months. The regimen was very well tolerated, apart from m oderate bone marrow suppression. Our results suggest that patients wit h advanced gastric cancer can be effectively treated with UFT-EAP chem otherapy.