[S-1-based chemotherapy for unresectable advanced gastric cancer of the elderly or patients with renal dysfunction]

S-1 based therapy is a valued standard chemotherapy regimen for unresectable gastric cancer in Japan. S-1/ CDDP therapy has been highly effective, especially for patients under 75 years old who have good organ function. However, it is the elderly and/or patients with renal dysfunction who make up the majority of the candidates for chemotherapy in general hospitals. These factors make it difficult to apply the results of RCTs to chemotherapy regimens.

To investigate clinical outcomes, the medical records of patients who had received S-1 based chemotherapy for gastric cancer at our hospital from January 2002 to September 2009 were retrospectively reviewed.

A total of 78 patients were evaluated for analyses. Among the patients, 23(29%)were the elderly, 8(10%)had renal dysfunction, and 27(35%)were either the elderly or those who had renal dysfunction. S-1/CDDP therapy was provided for 63% of the patients. Regarding the outcomes from therapy, RR was 44%, mPFS was 5. 4 months, and MST was 10. 6 months. Regarding survival benefit for OS, the elderly, the intestinal type, and therapy with S-1 alone were considered to be good factors in multi-variant analysis, but no significant differences were confirmed.

In general practice, the elderly and/or patients with renal dysfunction account for 35%, and S-1-based chemotherapy has been proven to be very effective. However, additional effects of CDDP were not shown in this study.