[Combination chemotherapy of UFT, etoposide and CDDP in advanced gastric cancer]

Eleven patients with advanced unresectable gastric cancer were treated with a combination of UFT, etoposide and CDDP (FFP). FEP regimen was given every 4 weeks as follows: UFT 400 mg/m2 (p.o.) everyday, etoposide 50 mg/m2 (i.v.), and CDDP 30 mg/m2 (i.v.) on day 1, 8, and 15. The subjects were 3 males and 8 females with an average of 64 (ranging from 44 to 84 yrs). None had had prior chemotherapy. One patient was in performance status (P.S.) 1, 6 were in PS 2, and 4 were in PS 3. Partial responses (PR) were obtained in 5 out of 11 patients. The durations of the response were over 3 months in all patients with PR. No side effects were observed except for mild myelosuppression and nausea. In BALB/C mice with lymphoid leukemia L1210, the effects of each drug and the combination of the two or three drugs on the increase in life span (ILS) were studied. The combination of the three drugs showed the highest effect on ILS. In conclusion, it is suggested that FEP chemotherapy is useful for advanced gastric cancer.