EFFECT OF COMBINATION THERAPY WITH UFT-PLUS-CISPLATIN (UFTP) ON THE SURVIVAL OF MICE IN THE EXPERIMENTAL-MODEL FOR WIDE-SPREAD METASTASIS IN THE PERITONEAL-CAVITY OF GASTROINTESTINAL-CANCER USING COLON-26-PMF-15-CELLS

The prognosis of unresectable advanced gastric cancer patients, especi ally with wide-spread metastasis in the peritoneal cavity, is very poo l: In such cases, only a few treatment methods are available, and chem otherapy as a systemic therapy is often selected. We recently devised an experimental model for widespread metastasis in the peritoneal cavi ty of gastrointestinal cancer, by intraperitoneally implanting colon 2 6 murine carcinoma PMF-15 cells. When the control mice were autopsied, a number of tumor nodules were formed in their mesenterium, pancreas, liver, etc. and pools of ascites were also occasionally seen. Using t his model, oral UFT (combining tegafur and uracil at a molar ratio of 1:4) plus cisplatin (UFTP regimen) prolonged the survival of mice and maintained these mice in relatively better condition than with continu ous infusiont of 5-fluorouracil plus cisplatin (FP regimen). Since UFT can be used orally, patients receiving UFTP therapy are not required to stay in a hospital for long periods, but rather are intermittently hospitalized for short periods of time. Better QOL and prolonged survi val highlight the potential clinical usefulness of the UFTP therapy.