Application of FLEEOX Preoperative Chemotherapy via Intra-arterial and Intravenous Administration in Treatment of Unresectable Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer

• DOI: 10.1007/s11605-016-3153-8
• Publication Date: 2016-04-25T14:39:36Z
• Authors: Qi He; Yang Li; Long Ma; Xiang Ji; Guoli Li
• Keywords: Epirubicin; Regimen

The prognosis of unresectable locally advanced gastric cancer is poor. We applied preoperative chemotherapy via intra-arterial and intravenous administration to convert an initially unresectable gastric cancer to a resectable cancer.From January 2005 to December 2010, 105 patients with unresectable locally advanced gastric cancer (T3-4N1-3M0) were selected for preoperative chemotherapy with 5-FU + leucovorin + etoposide + oxaliplatin + epirubicin (FLEEOX) regimen. 5-Fu (370 mg/m(2)) and leucovorin (200 mg/m(2)) were administered by intravenous infusion on days 1-5. Intra-arterial administration of etoposide (80 mg/m(2)), oxaliplatin (80 mg/m(2)), and epirubicin (30 mg/m(2)) was performed by Seldinger method on days 6 and 20, repeated two cycles. Patients who achieved partial response (PR) or complete response (CR) underwent D2 dissection, followed by four to six cycles of XELOX chemotherapy. The response rate, 1- and 3-year survival rate, and R0 resection rate were evaluated.The response rate of preoperative chemotherapy was 78.1 % (82 of 105 patients), with 7 cases of CR and 75 cases of PR, respectively. After chemotherapy, a total of 78 patients (74.3 %) underwent surgery, and 67 cases achieved R0 resection (85.9 %). The 1- and 3-year overall survival (OS) rate of all 105 patients was 71.9 and 31.7 % (median survival time, 18 months). The 1- and 3-year OS rate among the 78 patients treated with chemotherapy plus surgery was 84.5 and 40 % (median survival time, 30 months). Patients treated with chemotherapy plus surgery had significantly longer OS times than patients who underwent chemotherapy alone (P < 0.01).Patients with unresectable gastric cancer may obtain a survival benefit from preoperative chemotherapy via intra-arterial and intravenous administration and subsequent surgery.