89 Background: Perioperative chemotherapy has been shown to improve outcomes among patients with locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. As docetaxel (D), cisplatin (C), and capecitabine (X) are active agents in gastric adenocarcinoma, we conducted a phase II trial to assess the efficacy and tolerability of preoperative DCX in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Methods: We enrolled patients with locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (clinical T3/4 or N positive) to preoperative DCX repeated every 21 days for three cycles, followed by surgery. The first cohort of 10 patients received docetaxel 35 mg/m2, cisplatin 35mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, with capecitabine 750 mg/m2 twice daily from day 1 to day 14. A subsequent cohort of another 11 patients had dose modifications for docetaxel and cisplatin, both to 30mg/ m2 on days 1 and 8. Results: Twenty-one patients were recruited. Median age was 61 years. Seventy-one percent of patients completed a total of 3 cycles of planned chemotherapy. Fourteen patients have successfully undergone surgery. R0 resection rate was 88%. Pathological complete response (pCR) and near complete response (pnCR) were both 17%. Preoperative radiological assessment showed a partial response rate of 65% after 2 cycles of treatment. Good pathological response (pCR and pnCR) was associated with better event-free survival (26 months vs 12 months, p=0.031). Common grade 3/4 toxicities were diarrhea (38%), neutropenia (30%), stomatitis (14%) and hypokalemia (14%). However, the diarrhea rate was reduced to 15% with dose modifications as mentioned above after 50% of the first cohort of 10 patients developed grade 3/4 diarrhea during the first cycle of chemotherapy. Febrile neutropenia rate was 14%. There was one treatment related death before surgery but no postoperative mortality. Conclusions: Preoperative DCX is highly active with modest toxicity in locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. DCX represents an attractive alternative regimen without the need for protracted infusional drug in perioperative chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. Good pathological response is associated with better outcome.
Efficacy of preoperative chemotherapy regimens in patients with initially unresectable locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma: capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX) or with epirubicin (EOX)
