[Oxaliplatin plus capecitabine for advanced gastric cancer: report of 38 cases]

To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combination chemotherapy of oxaliplatin with capecitabine(XELOX)in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Thirty-eight advanced gastric cancer patients who received XELOX regimen during 2004-2009 were analyzed retrospectively. The combination chemotherapy included oxaliplatin as 2-hour infusion on day 1 and capecitabine po bid on days 1 to 14. Treatment was repeated every 3 weeks.

XELOX regime was applied as first-line therapy in 34 patients and as second-line therapy in 4 patients. After three cycles of chemotherapy, the outcomes in 32 patients who received XELOX as the first-line therapy included partial response (n = 8,25.0%), stable disease (n=14,43.8%), and progressive disease (n=10, 31.2%); no patient achieved complete response. The median time to progression and overall survival time were 7.0 months (95% CI: 4.5-9.5 months) and 12 months (95% CI: 9.8-14.2 months), respectively. One-year and two-year survival rates were 40.6% and 23.7%, respectively. Grade 3-4 toxicities including neutropenia (10.5%), thrombocytopenia (2.6%), nausea (7.9%), and vomiting (5.3%)were noted in a few patients.

XELOX regimen can be effectively and safely applied as first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer patients.