[Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced stomach cancer--a case of complete response]

In the treatment of gastric cancer R0 surgical resection is the only hope for cure. Unfortunately most patients are first seen when they are in an advanced stage, when the possibility of R0 resection is very poor. In these cases administration of other therapies is justified. In the last decade neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy had been introduced with promising results. ECF neoadjuvant chemotherapy has 60% response rate in irresectable cases. We report about a patient with locally advanced gastric cancer treated with neoadjuvant ECF chemotherapy. The patient reacted with complete response, so following chemotherapy R0 resection could be carried out. We describe different therapies used for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a recommended therapeutic modality in locally advanced gastric cancer, because it may have the effect of irresectable disease becoming resectable.