Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy versus chemotherapy for gastric cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) versus chemotherapy (CT) for patients with gastric cancer.

Electronic databases including PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were retrieved for original studies from their inception to April 2014. Two reviewers independently evaluated the quality of the included studies and extracted the data. All Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan Version 5.2 software.

Six randomized controlled trials involving 1,171 patients were included. The meta-analysis showed that there were statistical significances between chemoradiotherapy group and chemotherapy group in 5-year disease free survival rate (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.09-2.24), local-regional recurrence rate (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.32-0.67) and neutropenia (OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.11-1.96). While treatment efficacy did not differ significantly by the 5-year overall survival rate (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 0.92-1.88), 3-year disease free survival rate (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.92-1.80), and new metastases (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.57-1.03). Toxicities were not significantly different between two groups for nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, and thrombocytopenia.

For patients with gastric cancer, adjuvant chemoradiotherapy could significantly improve 5-year disease free survival rate and reduce local-regional recurrence rate compared with chemotherapy and, can be well accepted and tolerated.