[Combination chemotherapy with etoposide, ADM, and CDDP (EAP) for advanced gastric cancer]

EAP therapy has been performed on 50 cases of advanced gastric cancer from January 1988 to September 1989. Adriamycin 20 mg/m2, Cisplatin 40 mg/m2 and Etoposide 100 mg/m2 were administered on day 1 and 7, 2 and 8, and 4, 5 and 6, respectively, with not less than 2 courses every 3 to 4 weeks. Complete success, PR, NC and PD were obtained in 48, 21, 20 and 7 cases, respectively, the rate of effectiveness being 43.8% with a confidence interval 95% of 30-58%. The rate of effectiveness by lesions for evaluation was high (30.4, 100, and 50% for primary lesion, Virchow's lymphnodal metastasis and liver metastasis, respectively). MST was 5.1 months for EAP therapy, which was highly effective but led to no prolonged survival period. Thus, it is thought that good control of leukopenia, a dose limiting factor remains to be examined.