A Study on the Value of Combination Chemotherapy with Etoposide, Adriamycin and Cisplatin as a Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Stage III and IV Gastric Cancer

Takao Suzuki, Takenori Ochiai, Matsuo Nagata, Yoshio Gunji, Takeo Yokoyama¹⁾, Hidehiko Kashiwabara¹⁾, Tadashi Hachisu¹⁾, Kaoru Sakamoto¹⁾, Nobuyuki Tokumoto²⁾, Katsuya Kuga²⁾, Hiroshi Nishijima³⁾, Kaichi Isono

Department of Surgery (II), Chiba University School of Medicine
¹⁾Department of Surgery, Sakura National Hospital
²⁾Department of Surgery, Kashima Rosai Hospital
³⁾Department of Surgery, Chiba Social Insurance Hospital

In order to investigate the value of EAP therapy as a postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer, 12 patients with stage III gastric cancer and 13 patients with stage IV gastric cancer were treated by 10 mg/body of mitomycin C on the day of surgery and 3 courses of EAP therapy (etoposide 60 mg/m²×3, adrimycin 20 mg/m²×2, cisplatin 40 mg/m²×2) 3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. Since bone marrow toxicity and nephrotoxicity were controllable, the treatments were carried out safely in all cases. The survival rate of the EAP therapy group was significantly better than that of the historical control group in stage IV (p=0.0358), whereas there was no significant difference in stage III. The results of questionnaires indicated that the patients could tolerate the side effects of EAP therapy. In conclusion, EAP therapy is a safe and effective treatment as a postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer.

Key words
stage III and IV gastric cancer, EAP therapy as a postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy

Reprint requests
Takao Suzuki Department of Surgery (II), Chiba University School of Medicine
1-8-1 Inohana, Chuou-ku, Chiba-shi, 260 JAPAN

Accepted
September 8, 1993

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