[Combination chemotherapy using docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 for far advanced gastric cancer]

Combination of docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 (DCS) is expected as a new treatment regimen for far advanced gastric cancer. We performed DCS chemotherapy for six patients, including four cases with invasion to pancreas, three cases with para-aortic lymph node metastasis, and two cases with liver metastasis. Clinical stages were either IIIC or IV for all of the patients. The patients received 2-4 courses of docetaxel (40 mg/m²) and cisplatin (60 mg/m²) on day 1, and S-1 (80 mg/m²) on days 1-14 every 4 weeks. The response rate was 83% (5 PR and 1 SD), and the disease control rate was 100%. Grade 3/4 neutropenia, grade 3 febrile neutropenia, and grade 3 diarrhea were observed in three cases (50%), one case (17%), and one case (17%), respectively. Four of six patients underwent R0 surgery after DCS chemotherapy, and no severe complication was occurred. Histological responses were Grade 2 for two cases, Grade 1b for one case, and Grade 1a for one case, respectively. DCS regimen showed a high objective tumor response, and also is one of the promising regimens as neoadjuvant setting for far advanced gastric cancer.