[New interesting chemotherapeutic regimens in advanced gastric cancer]

We have made over view of new chemotherapeutic regimen for treatment of advanced gastric cancer 5-FU + MMC, FT + MMC and UFT + MMC therapy have been used widely for treatment of advanced gastric cancer as chemotherapeutic regimens in Japan. These regimens did not shown made than 25% in response rate as antitumor effect. Since development of CDDP, FP (5-FU + CDDP), FAP (5-FU + ADM + CDDP) and EAP (Etoposide + ADM + CDDP) is becoming gradually very important regimen for treatment of advanced stomach cancer patients. Recently, we have studied EAP therapy on 50 cases of advanced gastric cancer from January 1988 to September 1989. ADM 20 mg/m2, CDDP 40 mg/m2 and Etoposide 100 mg/m2 were administered on day 1 and 7, 2 and 8, and 4, 5 and 6, respectively, with not less than 2 courses every 3 to 4 weeks. The rate of effectiveness were obtained 43.8% with a confidence interval 95% of 30-58%. Median survival time was only 5.1 months for EAP therapy, which was highly effective but led to no prolonged survival period. Thus it is thought that good control of leukopenia, a dose-limiting factor remains to be examined. Biochemical modulation of 5-FU using such as MTX + LV and CDDP + LV (leucovorin) now under studying in the nation wide in Japan, so far it is getting better results.