Phase II study with the combination etoposide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin in advanced measurable gastric cancer

In this phase II multicenter trial, 67 evaluable patients with advanced measurable gastric carcinoma were treated with a combination of etoposide, Adriamycin (doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), and cisplatin (EAP). The overall response rate was 64%, including 21% complete responses (CRs). In 55 patients with metastatic disease, 31 responses (51%) including eight CRs (15%) were achieved. Responses were seen in all metastatic sites, but the response rate was lower in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. In 12 patients with locoregional disease, six CRs and six partial responses (PRs) were observed. Eight CRs (three and five in patients with metastatic and locoregional disease, respectively) were pathologically confirmed. The overall median response duration was 7 months; it was 16 months for patients achieving CR (22 months for pathologically confirmed CR [pCR]), and 6 months for PR. The median survival time for all patients was 9 months, for the patients who achieved CR 17 months, for pCR 23 months, and for PR 9.5 months. Median survival time for all patients with metastatic disease was 8 months, and for locoregional disease 12.5 months. Six patients (9%) (four local, two metastatic disease) were alive at 2 years, and four patients are alive and disease free at 35+ to 56+ months. Main toxicities were leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, with 64% of patients developing grade 3 to 4 myelosuppression and 12% severe infections. Nonhematologic toxicities of World Health Organization (WHO) grade 4 were not observed.