Preoperative S-1 and docetaxel combination chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer

Purpose

The combination of docetaxel and S-1 (DS) therapy is effective in patients with unrespectable gastric cancer and is expected to be a regimen in neoadjuvant setting for advanced gastric cancer. This study was held to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DS followed by surgery.

Methods

Patients with resectable gastric cancer received 2 courses of docetaxel 40 mg/m² on days 1, 15 and S-1 40 mg/m² bid orally on days 1–7, 15–21 every 4 weeks, followed by standard radical gastrectomy. Primary end point was the pathological response rate: rate of tumors in which one-third or more parts were affected.

Results

Fourteen patients were enrolled. Thirteen (92.8 %) patients completed two courses of chemotherapy. Grade 3 adverse events were neutropenia in 3 (21.4 %) patients, anemia in 1 (6.2 %) patient and diarrhea in 1 (6.2 %) patient. There were no grade 4 adverse event and febrile neutropenia. All patients underwent R0 resection, and pathological response was found in 50.0 % of patients. There were no major surgical complications and no treatment-related mortality.

Conclusions

The neoadjuvant chemotherapy with DS was effective for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer with manageable toxicities. Further study to confirm the usefulness of this regimen is needed.