[The future of loco-regional treatment for advanced gastric cancer]

We have evaluated the result of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer to estimate the future of loco- regional therapy. Twenty patients with advanced gastric cancer accepted 2 courses of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with S- 1 and cisplatin. In 13 patients (52%), chemotherapy could successfully control the growth of tumor. Thirteen patients with curative resection demonstrated a better survival (MST 682 days) than 12 patients with non-curative resection (MST 377 days). Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy using S-1 and cisplatin was an effective treatment for advanced gastric cancer. However, no survival benefit could be obtained for patients with non-curative resection. Administration of loco-regional treatment, such as intra peritoneal paclitaxel, should be considered for those cases with positive peritoneal cytology.