[Metastatic gastric cancer successfully treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Case report]

A case of long-term survivor 50-year-old man treated for advanced gastric cancer with two liver metastases is described. Patient underwent a total gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and atipic liver resection. After surgery, chemotherapy with PELF achieved a complete clinical response; six month from the fourth cycle, Ca19.9 levels slowly increased until 185 U/mL and a retro-peritoneal lymphadenopathy was detected by US. Three different chemotherapeutic combinations (FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, FOLFOX4) was administrated but two new liver recurrences spread out. From November 2007 until now, patient received 8 CDF cycles and he obtained a complete clinical response supported by persistent negativity of TC-PET scans. The radiological investigations performed after last admission in our Department for jaundice, revealed multiple liver lesions with Ca 19.9 levels of 6.766 U/mL. The patient required placement of metallic biliary endoprosthesis. He is still alive 41 month after primary surgery. We consider this case a successful example of survival increasing by integrated surgery-chemotherapy treatment but also an expression of the failure of current available therapy in the definitive cure for gastric cancer. Metastatic gastric cancer should be considered a disease treatable but not curable.