Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of docetaxel and cisplatin plus S-1 (DCS) combination chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer patients.
Methods: Chemo-naive patients with advanced gastric cancer, ECOG performance status of 0 to 1, and adequate organ function were eligible. All patients received docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) and cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) on day 1, plus S-1 orally 40-60 mg bid depending on body surface area on days 1-14, every 21 days. Efficacy and adverse events were evaluated every two cycles.
Results: Fifty-nine patients were enrolled from February 2009 to January 2011 and 56 of them were evaluated for efficacy and tolerability. After a median follow up of 17.6 months, the objective response rate (RR) was 75%, the disease control rate (DCR) 83.9%, the median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) 6.5 (95% CI, 5.6-7.3) months and 15.5 (95% CI, 13.9-17.0) months, respectively. The median number of chemotherapy cycles was 5. Grade 3 or 4 adverse effects included neutropenia (60.7%), vomiting (14.3%), neurotoxicity (12.5%), thrombocytopenia (10.7%), diarrhea (10.7%), impaired liver function (3.6%), and hand-foot syndrome (1.8%).
Conclusion: Our study shows that DCS regimen is active against advanced gastric cancer with acceptable toxicities and it may be used as a new choice of first-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced gastric cancer.