[Weekly administration of paclitaxel with a short course of premedication for advanced or recurrent gastric cancer]

Weekly administration of paclitaxel with a short course of premedication was performed for 8 patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. In this regimen, 500 ml of physiological saline with vitamins was administered in a 3-hour infusion. After 30 minutes of infusion, dexamethasone 10 mg, chlorpheniramine maleate 5 mg, famotidine 20 mg and ramosetron hydrochloride 0.3 mg were administered intravenously. After 30 more minutes of infusion, paclitaxel at a dose of 65 mg/m2 was admixed in the residual normal physiological saline and administered over 2 hours. Administration was continued for 3 weeks with a 1 week rest. Though the partial response rate was 25%, clinical symptoms improved in all patients. Moreover, both hematological and non-hematological toxicities were mild. Weekly administration of paclitaxel with a short course of premedication is an effective and well-tolerated method for patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.