Multidisciplinary treatment for gastric cancer patients by chemoimmunotherapy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric cancer is a virulent disease with a poor prognosis despite multidisciplinary treatment. The present study was designed to cla rify the clinical effects of chemoimmunotherapy for patients with advanced gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: The enrolled gastric cancer patients had distant metastases in cluding liver (n=2) and peritoneal. dissemination (n=21). The patients had received the chemotherapy according to the results of chemosensitivity test and adoptive immunotherapy by activated killer cells. RESULTS: There were no severe toxicities, except fever and mild myelo-suppr ession. Four patients had complete response (17.4%) and 10 patients had par tial response (43.5%). The performance status was improved in responders (p <0.01, from 2.6+/-0.5 to 1.4+/-0.7); however, this was not changed in nonre sponders (from 2.2+/-0.9 to 2.0+/-1.2). The survival of responders was long er than that of nonresponders (p<0.05, 198+/-69 days vs. 104+/-68 days). CONCLUSIONS: It was clarified that responders by chemoimmunotherapy had a g ood quality of life and longer survival.