Phase II study of preoperative chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin followed by gastrectomy for clinically resectable type 4 and large type 3 gastric cancers (JCOG0210)

Lauren Histology and Lymphatic Permeation are Critical Prognostic Factors in Borrmann Type I Gastric Cancer

Macroscopic Borrmann type I is relatively rare in advanced gastric cancer, and its detailed prognostic traits are unknown. Among 5172 gastric cancer patients between 1971 and 2013, 114 cases with macroscopic Borrmann type I were identified (2.2%), among which 112 displayed clinicopathologic factors. Univariate prognostic factors with statistical significance were initially selected, which were further applied to the multivariate proportional hazards model. Recently, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended for stage II/III gastric cancer patients. Results were as follows: (1) Five-year overall survival (OS) was 66% in Borrmann type I gastric cancer. Five-year relapse-free survival (RFS) was 100%, 87.1%, and 65.5% in stage IA, stage IB, and stage II/III, respectively. (2) Multivariate proportional hazard model for OS identified lymphatic permeation [hazard ratio (HR) = 4.8–7.5, P = 0.0021] and age (HR = 2.4, P = 0.026), while the multivariate analysis for RFS identified histology (HR = 3.5, P = 0.018) and lymphatic permeation (HR = 3.5–4.7, P = 0.049) as independent prognostic factors. (3) Recurrence was recognized more in liver of the intestinal type histology. Diffuse type histology with robust lymphatic invasion was all attributed to stage II/III, which occurred largely within 1 year and exhibited 49% RFS. Recurrence pattern of Borrmann Type I gastric cancer with intestinal type histology is unique, and patients with high risk for recurrences were enriched in diffuse type histology with robust lymphatic invasion.

Update on the Treatment of Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer remains a major health concern worldwide, particularly in Asia. Surgery is the only curative treatment, and D2 gastrectomy is the standard therapy for resectable cases. Several clinical trials have been conducted in Japan to achieve higher cure rates via extended surgery; however, despite higher morbidity, none demonstrated prolonged survival. Against this background, minimally invasive surgical approaches that preserve gastric function and improve postoperative quality of life have been developed in recent years. For early gastric cancer, endoscopic resection and laparoscopic gastrectomy have achieved remarkable success even for later-stage cases. Long-term outcomes have been investigated in large-scale, randomized controlled trials. In addition, robot-assisted gastrectomy is now more common in clinical practice. S-1, an anti-tumor drug, is a key agent for treating gastric cancer and has resulted in dramatic improvements in survival. For locally advanced gastric cancer, patients are usually treated with surgery and adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the efficacies of various regimens have been examined in many clinical trials. For unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer, new agents such as molecular-targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as notable treatments and are now being tested in numerous clinical trials. This review provides an update on gastric cancer treatment, highlighting current individualized strategies and future perspectives.

The long-term survival of stage IV gastric cancer patients with conversion therapy

PURPOSE

A retrospective study was performed to clarify the role of conversion therapy (surgery with a prospect of R0 resection performed in initially unresectable metastatic cancer that responded to the chemotherapy) in stage IV gastric cancer (GC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We treated 259 stage IV GC patients with systemic chemotherapy at Gifu and Hiroshima University Hospitals between 2001-2013. Of these, 84 patients who were subsequently treated by surgery were classified into four categories according to our previously published classification of stage IV GC, and short- and long-term outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Surgery was performed in 84 patients, of which 7 were performed following the neoadjuvant chemotherapy, whereas the other 77 that excluded neoadjuvant chemotherapy cases were considered the conversion therapy. The postoperative mortality and morbidity were comparable with those reported clinical trials. The MSTs of the patients with/without surgery for each category were 28.3/5.8 months for category 1, 30.5/11.0 months for category 2, 31.0/18.5 months for category 3 and 24.7/10.0 months for category 4. The MST of the R0 resected patients (41.3 months) was far better than that of the R1-2 resected patients (21.2 months). The MSTs of the patients with R0/R1-2 resection were 56.2/16.3 months for category 2, 33.3/29.6 months for category 3 and 40.7/17.8 months for category 4.

CONCLUSION

There were long-term survivors who underwent conversion therapy for stage IV GC. Adequate selection of stage IV GC patients for conversion therapy may be an important role for the surgical oncologist in the new era.

A prospective multi-institutional validity study to evaluate the accuracy of clinical diagnosis of pathological stage III gastric cancer (JCOG1302A)

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by radical surgery is a promising strategy to improve survival of patients with stage III gastric cancer, but is associated with the risk of preoperative overdiagnosis by which patients with early disease may receive unnecessary intensive chemotherapy.

METHODS

We assessed the validity of a preoperative diagnostic criterion in a prospective multicenter study. Patients with gastric cancer with a clinical diagnosis of T2/T3/T4, M0, except for diffuse large tumors and extensive bulky nodal disease, were eligible. Prospectively recorded clinical diagnoses (cT category, cN category) were compared with postoperative pathological diagnoses (pT category, pN category, and pathological stage). The primary endpoint was the proportion of pathological stage I tumors among those diagnosed as cT3/T4, which we expected to be 5% or less.

RESULTS

Data from 1260 patients enrolled from 53 institutions were analyzed. The proportion of pathological stage I tumors in those with a diagnosis of cT3/T4 (primary endpoint) was 12.3%, which was much higher than the prespecified value. The positive predictive value and the sensitivity for pathological stage III tumors were 43.6% and 87.8% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of contrast-enhanced CT for lymph node metastasis were 62.5% and 65.7% respectively. After exploring several diagnostic criteria, we propose, for future NAC trials in Japan, a diagnosis of "cT3/T4 with cN1/N2/N3," by which inclusion of pathological stage I tumors was reduced to 6.5%, although its sensitivity for pathological stage III tumors decreased to 64.5%.

CONCLUSION

Clinical diagnosis of T3/T4 tumors was not an optimal criterion to select patients for intensive NAC trials because more than 10% of patients with pathological stage I disease were included. We propose the criterion "cT3/T4 and cN1/N2/N3" instead.

An integrated analysis of hyponatremia in cancer patients receiving platinum-based or nonplatinum-based chemotherapy in clinical trials (JCOG1405-A)

Background

Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte abnormality in cancer patients who receive chemotherapy. Among anticancer agents, platinum-based agents are reported to cause chemotherapy-induced hyponatremia. However, the actual incidence and risk factors remain unknown.

Results

The reports of 29 trials were analyzed. The incidence of grade 3/4 hyponatremia was 11.9% in patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and 3.8% in those treated with nonplatinum-based regimens (P < 0.01). Univariable analysis revealed a high incidence of hyponatremia in patients receiving cisplatin, three-drug combination regimen, two-drug combination regimen with amrubicin or irinotecan, or high-dose cisplatin (weekly equivalent cisplatin dose ≥20 mg/m²), and in patients with small-cell lung cancer.

Conclusion

This is the first report of the actual incidence and the potential risk factors of chemotherapy-induced hyponatremia. Careful monitoring of serum sodium level is needed when platinum-based chemotherapy is administered.

Methods

This study included all clinical trials of systemic chemotherapies for solid cancers that were conducted by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) after January 2000 and of which the patient enrolment was completed by January 2014. The latest reports of each trial were used for analysis. The incidence of chemotherapy-induced grade 3/4 hyponatremia and the potential risk factors were investigated with univariable analysis.

A case of advanced gastric cancer achieved a pathological complete response by chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Although chemotherapy is the first recommended treatment of unresectable gastric cancer, a pathological complete response is a rare event.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 58-year-old male was diagnosed as gastric cancer with a bulky tumor, lymphadenopathy, and suspicious peritoneal dissemination. The patient underwent chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin. After three courses of chemotherapy, a computed tomography showed dramatic improvements in gastric wall thickening, shrinkage of lymphadenopathy, and disappearance of disseminated peritoneal lesion. The patient underwent potentially curative resection by total gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection. Histological examination revealed the absence of malignant cells not only in the resected specimen but also in the harvested lymph nodes. At present, more than 7 years after the initial surgery, the patient is still alive without any recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

We obtained a pathological complete response by chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin for advanced gastric cancer. Although a pathological complete response is a rare event, it would be associated with the long-term survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Left Gastric Artery Lymph Nodes Should Be Included in D1 Lymph Node Dissection in Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

The Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma includes the left gastric artery (#7) lymph nodes (LNs) in the recommended extent of D1 LN dissection, but this recommendation has not been validated in western institutions.

METHODS

We reviewed data from a prospectively maintained database of gastric cancer patients who underwent resection at our academic cancer center and had a separate pathologic assessment of #7 LN in 2005-2016. Risk factors for #7 LN metastases and overall survival were examined by uni- and multivariable analyses.

RESULTS

We identified 173 patients; 114 (66%) were treated with preoperative therapy, most commonly with chemoradiation therapy (47%, 81/173). We identified 22 patients (13%) who had #7 LN metastases, which accounted for 35% (22/63) of node-positive patients. No preoperative factors were associated with #7 LN metastases by univariable analyses. Patients with #7 metastases were not associated with shorter overall survival after adjustment by nodal stage (hazard ratio 1.49, 95% confidence interval 0.67-3.32; p = 0.33).

CONCLUSION

Metastasis to #7 LN station was common in gastric cancer, but the survival impact was not significant after adjustment by nodal stage. We conclude that #7 LNs should be routinely dissected in gastric cancer patients, and this station should be included within the extent of D1 LN dissection.

Validity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 for resectable locally advanced gastric cancer

Gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy plus postoperative chemotherapy is the standard treatment for resectable locally advanced gastric cancer in Japan. However, the prognosis of patients with serosa-positive tumors remains unsatisfactory because of peritoneal recurrence. This study aimed to investigate the validity of neoadjuvant therapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 (DCS) in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Thirty patients with locally advanced gastric cancer underwent neoadjuvant DCS therapy at Dokkyo Medical University Hospital between June 2013 and October 2015. Gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy were performed after two cycles of preoperative DCS therapy. The clinical responses of the primary gastric tumors based on endoscopic findings were partial response in 17 patients (57%) and stable disease in 13 patients (43%). Analysis of pathological response in the primary gastric lesions showed grade 1a in five patients (17%), grade 1b in nine patients (30%), grade 2 in 11 patients (37%), and grade 3 in five patients (17%). Twenty-four patients (80%) remained alive after a median follow-up period of 31 months. The 2- and 3-year overall survival rates in all patients were 89 and 70%, respectively. The 2-year overall survival rate in pathological responders (grade 1b-3) was 96%, compared with 50% in pathological non-responders (grade 1a) (P = 0.00187). Pathological responders had a significantly higher survival rate than non-responders. These results indicate that neoadjuvant DCS therapy may improve the prognosis in patients with serosa-positive locally advanced gastric cancer.

Diagnostic staging laparoscopy in gastric cancer: a prospective cohort at a cancer institute in Japan

BACKGROUND

There have been many studies that describe the value of diagnostic staging laparoscopy (DSL) in gastric cancer. However, different studies use different indications, making study results difficult to compare. This study aimed to clarify the diagnostic feasibility of DSL for gastric cancer in a prospective manner and investigated the impact of DSL on clinical decision-making in gastric cancer treatment.

METHODS

The study was a prospective cohort study based at a single institution between January 2010 and December 2013. We treated 2213 patients with potentially resectable gastric cancer during this period. DSL was primarily indicated for asymptomatic patients with: (1) large Borrmann type 3 tumours ≥8 cm, (2) Borrmann type 4 tumours (linitis plastica), (3) bulky lymph nodes or paraaortic lymph node swelling, or (4) clinical suspicion of peritoneal disease. The primary outcome is change in treatment strategy, and the secondary outcomes are diagnostic accuracy of the indications and false negative rate of DSL.

RESULTS

DSL was performed on 156 (7%) of 2213 patients. Of these, peritoneal disease was found in 74 (47%) patients: (1) 56% for large type 3, (2) 54% for type 4, (3) 21% for bulky lymph nodes or paraaortic lymph node swelling, and (4) 20% for suspected peritoneal disease. The diagnostic accuracy of our indication for DSL was 92% for all patients and 74% for patients with cT3/T4 tumours. Among 82 patients without peritoneal disease, 66 patients (81%) underwent subsequent radical gastrectomy; peritoneal disease was discovered intraoperatively for 7 patients at laparotomy, indicating a false negative rate of 11%.

CONCLUSION

We confirmed that DSL performed according to our indication, in the context of gastric cancer, possesses diagnostic feasibility. Approximately half of the patients who underwent DSL consequently avoided unnecessary laparotomy and were able to receive appropriate alternative treatment.

Prognostic impact and implications of extracapsular lymph node spread in Borrmann type IV gastric cancer

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between extracapsular lymph node spread (ECS) and clinicopathology and its influence on the prognosis in patients with Borrmann type IV gastric cancer. Between 2002 and 2014, clinical data were reviewed from 486 patients with Borrmann type IV gastric cancer who underwent curative resection. Of the 486 patients, lymph node metastasis was found in 456. ECS was detected in 213 (46.7%) patients with lymph node metastasis. A positive lymph node with ECS was significantly correlated with the N category, lymphatic/venous invasion, tumor location, and TNM stage. For the whole patients, the mean OS was 34.7 months, and the 5-year OS rate was 15.5%. The 5-year OS rate of node-negative patients was 48%, for node-positive patients without ECS 18.7%, and for node-positive patients with ECS 5.7% (P = 0.000). In a multivariate analysis, adjusted for tumor location, lymphatic/venous invasion, body mass index (BMI), and TNM stages, ECS remained an independent prognostic factor. For patients with the same N category and TNM stage, those with ECS still had a worse survival rate. Recurrent sites were confirmed in 367 patients. The most frequent recurrent site was the peritoneum. There was a significant difference between ECS+ (N = 150) and ECS- (N = 142) patients (P = 0.008). Our results suggested that ECS was an independent prognostic value for Borrmann type IV gastric cancer patients with curative resection and a subgroup indicated a significantly worse long-term survival for patients with the same N or TNM stages. ECS+ was an adverse factor for peritoneal metastasis.

Significance of Splenectomy for Upper Gastric Carcinoma With Invasion to the Greater Curvature

This study aimed to clarify the significance of splenectomy (Sp) for upper gastric carcinoma with invasion to the greater curvature. The Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) conducted a phase III randomized clinical trial (JCOG 0110), where the significance of Sp in total gastrectomy (TG) for upper gastric carcinoma without invasion to the greater curvature was not proved because Sp did not contribute to an improved prognosis. From 1992 to 2010, 167 patients underwent TG for carcinoma of the upper stomach, except for patients with carcinoma of the residual stomach. Among them, 60 patients with tumor invasion to the greater curvature of the upper stomach (Gre group) were enrolled. Within the Gre group, the following factors were compared between the Sp group (n = 30) and non-Sp group (n = 30): patient background, postoperative staging, rate of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical outcomes and rates of R0 resection, morbidity, adjuvant chemotherapy, and overall survival (OS). The Gre group patients were relatively younger, and tumor size and the numbers of Borrmann type 4 tumors, circumferential lesions, undifferentiated type lesions, and advanced cases were significantly larger than those in the non-Gre group. There were also significant differences in patient age and organs resected other than the spleen between the Sp group and non-Sp group. There was no significant difference in OS between the 2 groups. The significance of Sp for upper gastric carcinoma with invasion to the greater curvature was equivocal because the patients received no survival benefit by undergoing Sp.

Macroscopic appearance of Type IV and giant Type III is a high risk for a poor prognosis in pathological stage II/III advanced gastric cancer with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy

AIM

To evaluate whether a high risk macroscopic appearance (Type IV and giant Type III) is associated with a dismal prognosis after curative surgery, because its prognostic relevance remains elusive in pathological stage II/III (pStage II/III) gastric cancer.

METHODS

One hundred and seventy-two advanced gastric cancer (defined as pT2 or beyond) patients with pStage II/III who underwent curative surgery plus adjuvant S1 chemotherapy were evaluated, and the prognostic relevance of a high-risk macroscopic appearance was examined.

RESULTS

Advanced gastric cancers with a high-risk macroscopic appearance were retrospectively identified by preoperative recorded images. A high-risk macroscopic appearance showed a significantly worse relapse free survival (RFS) (35.7%) and overall survival (OS) (34%) than an average risk appearance (P = 0.0003 and P < 0.0001, respectively). A high-risk macroscopic appearance was significantly associated with the 13^th Japanese Gastric Cancer Association (JGCA) pT (P = 0.01), but not with the 13^th JGCA pN. On univariate analysis for RFS and OS, prognostic factors included 13^th JGCA pStage (P < 0.0001) and other clinicopathological factors including macroscopic appearance. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model for univariate prognostic factors identified high-risk macroscopic appearance (P = 0.036, HR = 2.29 for RFS and P = 0.021, HR = 2.74 for OS) as an independent prognostic indicator.

CONCLUSION

A high-risk macroscopic appearance was associated with a poor prognosis, and it could be a prognostic factor independent of 13^th JGCA stage in pStage II/III advanced gastric cancer.

Five-year survival of Advanced Esophagogastric junction cancer with achieved by complete response preoperative S-1 + CDDP combination therapy and surgical resection

No clear consensus has been reached about the appropriate chemotherapy and/or surgery for esophagogastric junction cancer (EGJ) cancer, and no recommendations have been established. However, it is hoped that treatment of advanced gastric cancer with preoperative chemotherapy will be useful, in that it will result in down staging, increased resection rate due to tumor contraction, and avoidance of the need for multi-organ resection, and that it will thus contribute to improved prognosis. Numerous clinical studies have been carried out to date on treatment of advanced gastric cancer with multi-drug combination chemotherapy, with S-1, a pyrimidine-fluoride-based anti-tumor agent, as the principal component, and favorable results have been achieved. The present report is about a 66-year-old male who was diagnosed as having Siewert type II, stage IIIB EGJ cancer, and whose bulky tumor was treated with S-1 + CDDP (SP) preoperative chemotherapy and total gastrectomy, with the aim of achieving preoperative tumor contraction. The outcome was achievement of histological complete response, and the patient has now survived for 5 years since surgery.

The Asian Perspective on the Surgical and Adjuvant Management of Esophagogastric Cancer

In East Asia, D2 dissection has been routine surgical procedure for curable advanced gastric cancer. More extended surgery than D2 is reserved for borderline resectable disease with extended nodal metastasis. The addition of radiation therapy to adjuvant chemotherapy failed to improve the outcome after D2 dissection. Because many patients are diagnosed in East Asia with early-stage disease, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is preferred, and S-1 monotherapy or capecitabine-oxaliplatin is standard care. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be preferred for stage III tumors; for borderline resectable tumors, preoperative chemotherapy is under study given the limitations of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in high-risk patients.

Phase I study of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 and oxaliplatin for locally advanced gastric cancer (Neo G-SOX PI)

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of locally advanced gastric cancer, such as clinical T4 disease, bulky nodal involvement, type 4 and large type 3 gastric cancer, remains unsatisfactory, even with D2 gastrectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. One promising approach is neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Combination chemotherapy with S-1 and oxaliplatin (SOX) is recognised as a potentially promising regimen for gastric cancer. However, the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of SOX for locally advanced gastric cancer has not been reported. The aim of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose of preoperative chemotherapy combined with SOX for locally advanced gastric cancer.

METHODS

Patients received two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin on day 1, as well as S-1 (80 mg/m²/day, twice daily) for 14 days, repeated every 3 weeks. They then underwent gastrectomy with curative D2/3 lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant S-1 (80 mg/m²/day, twice daily) for 1 year. Escalation of oxaliplatin dose was planned (starting at level 0, oxaliplatin 100 mg/m²; level 1, 130 mg/m²).

RESULTS

Six patients were enrolled. MTD was not reached at level 1. Oxaliplatin 130 mg/m² in combination with S-1 80 mg/m²/day twice daily could be administered with acceptable toxicity. Peripheral neuropathy was observed in all patients but with no functional disorders. No treatment-related death was observed and the incidence of operative morbidity was tolerable. Resection with curative intent was undertaken in all patients with R0 resection performed in five (83%) and R1 in one. Two of the six patients had a pathological complete response (33%).

CONCLUSION

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with an SOX regimen was feasible in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. The recommended phase II dose was determined to be oxaliplatin 130 mg/m² in combination with S-1 80 mg/m²/day, twice daily.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric adenocarcinoma in Japan

Surgery had been and remains a mainstay in the treatment of gastric cancer. The Japanese surgical oncologists employed surgery-first approach to treat gastric cancer because of the widespread use of D2 lymph node dissection and the high incidence of oncologically resectable cancer, and early attempts at the multimodality treatment strategy featured surgery followed by postoperative chemotherapy. Although evidence to treat Stage II/III gastric cancer with this strategy is now abundant in the Far East, poor compliance of the post-gastrectomy patients to intense combination chemotherapies has been a limitation associated with this strategy. Evidence in support of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the West and in various other types of cancer prompted the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) researchers to explore this strategy, primarily for a selected population of locally advanced cancer that could either be unresectable by the surgery-first approach or is known to suffer from a poor prognosis; cancers with bulky lymph node metastases or those with a scirrhous phenotype. Encouraged by some promising results from these neoadjuvant trials and taking into account the aforementioned limitations associated with postoperative chemotherapy, the JCOG researchers decided to embark on a phase III trial to explore neoadjuvant chemotherapy among patients with clinically Stage III cancer. This review describes the development of the neoadjuvant strategy for gastric cancer in Japan, mainly by going through a series of clinical trials conducted by the JCOG.

Feasibility of weekly intraperitoneal versus intravenous paclitaxel therapy delivered from the day of radical surgery for gastric cancer: a preliminary safety analysis of the INPACT study, a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is common after curative resection of gastric cancer. Intraperitoneal administration of paclitaxel (PTX) is known to control ovarian peritoneal metastases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with either linitis plastica or T4 cancer with high risk of peritoneal metastasis or recurrence but whose cancer was considered resectable were preregistered. After their cancer had been confirmed intraoperatively as resectable, the patients were randomized into either group A (PTX at 60 mg/m² intraperitoneally on the day of surgery and on days 14, 21, 28, 42, 49, and 56) or group B (PTX at 80 mg/m² administered intravenously by the identical schedule) before being treated by evidence-based chemotherapy. The primary end point was the 2-year survival rate. Safety, the secondary end point, was also analyzed. The study has been registered as UMIN000002957.

RESULTS

Of 177 preregistered patients, 83 underwent treatment (39 by intraperitoneal administration and 44 by intravenous administration). There was no difference in patient demographics between the two groups. The incidences of surgical complications were similar between the groups, except for transient bowel obstruction observed exclusively in group A. The relative dose intensity of PTX was 81.4 % for group A and 76.3 % for group B. There was one death due to pulmonary thrombosis and a case of anaphylaxis that led to termination of the protocol treatment (group B). Other adverse events were mild and manageable.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraperitoneal administration of PTX from the day of gastrectomy did not result in a higher incidence of surgical complications and adverse reactions when compared with intravenous administration of PTX.

Current situation and new advances in perioperative treatment of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world, and radical surgery is still the most effective treatment. Since gastric cancer screening is not popular in China and early cases are usually asymptomatic, advanced gastric cancer accounts for the vast majority. The prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer after surgery alone is still poor. With regard to improving the long-term survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer, the importance of multimodality therapy has been gradually recognized. Perioperative treatment is an important part of multimodality therapy. Nowadays, the perioperative treatment for advanced gastric cancer consists of preoperative chemotherapy, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immune therapy.

Staging Laparoscopy for Patients with cM0, Type 4, and Large Type 3 Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

Staging laparoscopy (SL) is considered useful for detecting peritoneal metastasis, a task that is difficult using conventional imaging modalities. However, indications for the procedure remain unclear, with differences evident across reports. The present study aimed to clarify the effectiveness and limitations of SL for patients with type 4 and large type 3 gastric cancer.

METHODS

We included 88 patients with cM0, type 4 or large type 3 gastric cancer who underwent SL at the Shizuoka Cancer Center from August 2008 to June 2014, to determine the detection rate of peritoneal metastasis by SL. In addition, we calculated the false-negative rate of SL by recruiting patients who were diagnosed as P0 at SL and underwent laparotomy within 28 days after the SL.

RESULTS

P0CY0, P0CY1, P1CY0, and P1CY1 were diagnosed in 41 (46.6 %), 15 (17.0 %), 15 (17.0 %), and 17 (19.3 %) patients, respectively. Accordingly, clinically non-evident peritoneal metastasis was found in 36.3 % of patients, and 53.4 % of patients were diagnosed with stage IV. In addition, 29 patients diagnosed as P0 at SL underwent laparotomy within 28 days after the SL. Among them, peritoneal metastasis was found in five patients. Thus, the false-negative rate was 17.2 % (5/29, 95 % CI 7.6-34.6 %).

CONCLUSIONS

SL is useful for detecting previously unsuspected peritoneal metastasis and for avoiding unnecessary laparotomy, although the high false-negative rate cannot be ignored. Patients with cM0, type 4, and large type 3 gastric cancer are considered suitable candidates for SL.

CA19-9 serum levels predict micrometastases in patients with gastric cancer

Background

We explored the prognostic value of the up-regulated carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) in node-negative patients with gastric cancer as a surrogate marker for micrometastases.

Patients and methods

Micrometastases were determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for a subgroup of 30 node-negative patients. This group was used to determine the cut-off for preoperative CA19-9 serum levels as a surrogate marker for micrometastases. Then 187 node-negative T1 to T4 patients were selected to validate the predictive value of this CA19-9 threshold.

Results

Patients with micrometastases had significantly higher preoperative CA19-9 serum levels compared to patients without micrometastases (p = 0.046). CA19-9 serum levels were significantly correlated with tumour site, tumour diameter, and perineural invasion. Although not reaching significance, subgroup analysis showed better five-year survival rates for patients with CA19-9 serum levels below the threshold, compared to patients with CA19-9 serum levels above the cut-off. The cumulative survival for T2 to T4 node-negative patients was significantly better with CA19-9 serum levels below the cut-off (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Preoperative CA19-9 serum levels can be used to predict higher risk for haematogenous spread and micrometastases in node-negative patients. However, CA19-9 serum levels lack the necessary sensitivity and specificity to reliably predict micrometastases.

Is conversion therapy possible in stage IV gastric cancer: the proposal of new biological categories of classification

Conversion therapy for gastric cancer (GC) has been the subject of much recent attention. It is defined as a surgical treatment aiming at an R0 resection after chemotherapy for tumors that were originally unresectable or marginally resectable for technical and/or oncological reasons. However, the indications for resection remain to be clarified. In the present review, we focus on the biology and heterogeneous characteristics of stage IV GC and propose new categories of classification. Stage IV GC patients can be divided based on the absence (categories 1 and 2) or presence (categories 3 and 4) of macroscopically detectable peritoneal dissemination, which has a different biological outcome compared to hematological metastasis. Category 1 is defined oncologically as stage IV but the metastasis is technically resectable. Category 2 includes a marginally resectable metastasis or patients for whom the operation would not necessarily be the best choice. Category 3 includes a potentially unresectable metastasis of peritoneal dissemination that is only macroscopically detectable. Category 4 includes noncurable metastasis with peritoneal and other organ metastasis. The indications for conversion therapy might include the patients from category 2, some patients from category 3 and a very small number of patients from category 4. The longer survival can be expected for patients corresponding to categories 1, 2 and, to a lesser extent, 3, while the treatment of other patients focuses on "care." The provision of conversion therapy for stage IV GC patients might be one of the main roles of surgical oncologists in the near future.

A phase II study of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin for stage III gastric cancer: KUGC03

OBJECTIVES

A multi-center phase II study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with S-1 plus cisplatin for advanced gastric cancer.

METHODS

The eligibility criteria were clinical T3/T4 or N2, not Stage IV. Patients received two 35-day cycles of S-1 plus cisplatin, and then underwent D2 gastrectomy. The primary endpoint was 3-year progression free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints were ratio of R0 resection, response rate, adverse events, and overall survival. A sample size of 49 was determined to have 80% power for detecting 15% improvement in the 3-year PFS over 55% at a one-sided alpha of 0.1.

RESULTS

Among 53 patients enrolled, 44 patients completed two cycles of NAC (83%), and 48 patients underwent R0 resection (91%). Postoperative complications occurred in 13 patients (26%). A pathological response was confirmed in 24 patients (45%), including four complete responses. The 3-year PFS was 50.7%, while the 3-year OS was 74.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the observed 3-year PFS rate was worse than expected, NAC with S1 plus cisplatin was safe and led to a high rate of R0 resection. A randomized controlled trial is needed to make conclusions about the effectiveness of NAC in Japanese patients undergoing D2 resection.

Feasibility of neoadjuvant S-1 and oxaliplatin followed by surgery for resectable advanced gastric adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE

In Japan, the administration of S-1 following D2 gastrectomy is a standard treatment for stage II/III gastric cancer (GC). However, the survival of stage IIIB/IIIC GC remains unsatisfactory. To improve this, we conducted a multicenter phase II study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a neoadjuvant S-1 and oxaliplatin regimen (SOX) followed by surgery targeted at stage III GC.

METHODS

Oxaliplatin was administered intravenously (130 mg/m(2)) on day 1, and S-1 was administered orally (40 mg/m(2), twice a day) for 14 days followed by a seven-day rest period. After three cycles of therapy, D2 gastrectomy was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 14 patients were enrolled and completed the protocol treatment. Grade 3/4 toxicities included thrombocytopenia (21.4 %), anorexia (14.3 %), and diarrhea (7.1 %). Seven patients (50 %) underwent total gastrectomy, and seven patients underwent distal gastrectomy. Grade 3/4 surgical complications included pancreatic fistula (21.4 %) and lung infection (7.1 %). The pathological response rate was 85.7 %.

CONCLUSION

Although our data are limited and preliminary, neoadjuvant SOX followed by surgery can be performed safely with a high pathological response rate in patients with resectable advanced GC. Further investigation of this neoadjuvant approach is warranted.

Is Linitis Plastica a Contraindication for Surgical Resection: A Multi-Institution Study of the U.S. Gastric Cancer Collaborative

BACKGROUND

Current staging and treatment guidelines for gastric adenocarcinoma do not differentiate between linitis plastic (LP) and non-LP cancers. Significant controversy exists regarding the surgical management of LP patients.

METHODS

Using the multi-institutional U.S. Gastric Cancer Collaborative database, 869 gastric cancer patients who underwent resection between 2000 and 2012 were identified. Clinicopathologic and outcomes data of 58 LP patients were compared to 811 non-LP patients.

RESULTS

Stage III/IV disease was more common at presentation in LP patients compared with non-LP patients (90 vs. 44 %, p < 0.01). Despite the fact that most LP patients underwent total gastrectomy (88 vs. 39 %, p < 0.01), final positive margins were more common in LP patients (33 vs. 7 %, p < 0.01). The use of frozen section allowed 15 intraoperative positive margins in 38 patients to be converted to negative final margins. Median overall survival (OS) was significantly worse in patients with LP (11.6 vs. 37.8 months, p < 0.01). There was no difference in median OS of LP patients based on stage (I/II, 17.3 mo; III, 10.6 mo; IV, 12.0 mo; p = 0.46). LP and non-LP patients who underwent optimal resection (negative margin and D2/3 lymphadenectomy) had better survival compared with those with nonoptimal resections. The median OS for optimally resected stage III LP (n = 22) and stage III non-LP (n = 185) patients was nearly identical (26.7 vs. 25.3 mo; p = 0.69).

CONCLUSIONS

Future staging systems and treatment guidelines should differentiate between LP and non-LP gastric cancers. Long-term survival in select LP patients who undergo optimal resections is comparable to optimally resected non-LP patients.

Determination of the optimal cutoff percentage of residual tumors to define the pathological response rate for gastric cancer treated with preoperative therapy (JCOG1004-A)

BACKGROUND

Pathological response rate (pathRR) is a common endpoint used to assess the efficacy of preoperative therapy for gastric cancer. PathRR is estimated based on the percentage of the residual tumor area in the primary tumorous bed. Various cutoff definitions used in previous trials (e.g., 10, 33, 40, 50, 67 %) often impair the comparability of pathRRs between trials.

METHODS

Individual patient data were used from four JCOG trials evaluating preoperative chemotherapy (JCOG0001, JCOG0002, JCOG0210, JCOG0405). Pathological specimens were evaluated from 173 out of 188 patients (92 %) who underwent surgery. Residual tumor area and primary tumorous beds were traced on a virtual microscopic slide by one pathologist and another confirmed these areas. The hazard ratio (HR) in overall survival was calculated for each cutoff percentage by stratified Cox regression analysis, including the study as a stratification factor, and concordance probability estimates (CPE) were calculated.

RESULTS

The numbers of patients with 0%, 1-10 %, 11-33 %, 34-50 %, 51-66 %, and 67-100 % residual tumors were 8, 35, 33, 27, 23, and 47, respectively. HRs in 10, 33, 50, and 67 % cutoffs were 1.91, 1.70, 1.55, and 1.71 for the overall population, and CPEs were 0.56, 0.56, 0.55, and 0.55, respectively. In patients with R0 resection, HRs in 10, 33, 50, and 67 % cutoffs were 1.87, 1.54, 1.24, and 1.38, and CPEs were 0.56, 0.55, 0.52, and 0.52. In subgroup analyses, the 10 % cutoff did not predict survival well for type 4 (linitis plastica) tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

The 10 % cutoff should be the global standard cutoff of %residual tumor to determine pathRR. PathRR might not be recommended for clinical trials where the main subjects are type 4 tumors.

A phase II trial of perioperative chemotherapy involving a single intraperitoneal administration of paclitaxel followed by sequential S-1 plus intravenous paclitaxel for serosa-positive gastric cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

We carried out a phase II trial to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and tolerability of perioperative chemotherapy including single intraperitoneal(IP) administration of paclitaxel(PTX) followed by intravenous(IV) administrations of PTX with S-1 in a neoadjuvant setting for serosa-positive gastric cancer.

METHODS

Patients with cT4a gastric cancer were enrolled. A laparoscopic survey was performed before study inclusion for the confirmation of serosal invasion, negative lavage cytology, and negative peritoneal metastasis. IP PTX (80 mg/m(2)) was administered, followed by systemic chemotherapy. Surgery was performed after the completion of chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was the treatment completion rate.

RESULTS

37 patients were recruited. The treatment completion rate was 67.6% (25/37; 90% CI, 52.8-80.1%), which was significantly higher than 50%; we set this as a threshold value (P = 2.4% [one-sided]). 14 patients had target lesions; of these, 10 showed a partial response (71.4%), three had stable disease (21.4%), and one had progressive disease(7.2%). The response rate was 71.4% (10/14). All patients underwent gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 78.0 and 74.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative chemotherapy including neoadjuvant IP PTX followed by sequential IV PTX with S-1 for serosa-positive gastric cancer is feasible, safe, and efficient.

Validity of response assessment criteria in neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer (JCOG0507-A)

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy may improve outcomes in gastric cancer. Tumor responses can be evaluated with RECIST, Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma (JCGC), and histological criteria. These approaches have not yet been compared.

METHODS

We analyzed two phase II trials of neoadjuvant chemotherapy using S-1 plus cisplatin. JCOG0210 included patients with linitis plastica and large ulcero-invasive tumors, whereas JCOG0405 comprised those with para-aortic or bulky lymph node metastases. Radiologic evaluations were conducted using RECIST in JCOG0405 and JCGC criteria in JCOG0210, because the latter included many patients without measurable lesions. A histological responder was defined as a patient in whom one third or more of the tumor was affected. The hazard ratios (HR) for death between responders and non-responders and response rate differences between short- and long-term survivors were estimated.

RESULTS

In JCOG0210 (n = 49), HR was 0.54 in JCGC responders (P = 0.059) and 0.40 in histological responders (P = 0.005). The difference in response rates between short- and long-term survivors using histological criteria (34 %, P = 0.023) was greater than that using JCGC criteria (24 %, P = 0.15). In JCOG0405 (n = 51), HR was 0.67 in RECIST responders (P = 0.35) and 0.39 in histological responders (P = 0.030). In short- and long-term survivors, respectively, RECIST response rates were 62  and 67 % (P = 0.77), whereas histological response rates were 33  and 63 % (P = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

Histological criteria showed higher response assessment validity than RECIST or JCGC criteria and yielded the best surrogate endpoint for overall survival.

Prognostic Role of Conversion Surgery for Unresectable Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of unresectable gastric cancer is poor. Chemotherapy occasionally converts an initially unresectable gastric cancer to a resectable cancer.

METHODS

The responses of noncurative factors to initial chemotherapy and the outcomes of additional (conversion) surgery were retrospectively evaluated in 151 patients with unresectable gastric cancer receiving combination chemotherapy with S-1 plus cisplatin or paclitaxel from February 2003 to December 2013.

RESULTS

Forty (26 %) of 151 patients underwent conversion surgery. After chemotherapy, R0 resection was accomplished in 32 patients (80 %). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate among the 40 patients who underwent conversion surgery was 43 % (median survival time, 53 months). The 5-year OS rate in the 111 patients treated with chemotherapy alone was 1 % (median survival time, 14 months). Patients who underwent conversion surgery had significantly longer OS times than patients who underwent chemotherapy alone (P < 0.01). The 5-year OS rate among patients who underwent R0 resection was 49 % (median survival time, 62 months). Patients who underwent R0 resection had significantly longer OS times than those who underwent R1 and R2 resection (P = 0.03). Among patients who underwent conversion surgery, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that one noncurative factor (odds ratio 0.49; 95 % confidence interval 0.28-0.88; P = 0.02) and R0 resection (odds ratio 0.52; 95 % confidence interval 0.28-0.95; P = 0.03) were significant independent predictors for favorable OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with unresectable gastric cancer initially exhibiting one noncurative factor may obtain a survival benefit from chemotherapy and subsequent curative surgery.

Surgical management of gastric cancer: the East vs. West perspective

Gastric cancer is a unique malignancy, with definite geographic differences in incidence, pathology, treatment and outcome. While the incidence has been declining in the Western hemisphere, steady rates have been reported in Eastern countries, particularly South Korea and Japan. One of the most profound differences between the East and West centers around treatment strategies, with Western clinicians routinely adopting a neoadjuvant approach, prior to surgical resection. Eastern clinicians, however, favor primary surgical therapy and have pioneered many of the techniques currently used worldwide. From endoscopic therapies to minimally-invasive surgery, including laparoscopic and robotic techniques, the Eastern surgeons have studied their techniques with high-volumes of patients. Western surgeons, practicing in systems where gastric cancer care is not centralized, typically have performed less aggressive surgical resections, although generally see more advanced diseases. In the era where global care is becoming more standardized, however, the differences in surgical practice have lessened. This review compares the surgical techniques and outcomes for gastric cancer practiced in the East with those standard in the West.

Salvage surgery after chemotherapy with S-1 plus cisplatin for α-fetoprotein-producing gastric cancer with a portal vein tumor thrombus: a case report

BACKGROUND

Patient with α-Fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer usually has a short survival time due to frequent hepatic and lymph node metastases. Gastric cancer with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is rare and has an extremely poor prognosis.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 63-year-old man was found to have a huge Type 3 gastric cancer with a PVTT and a highly elevated serum AFP level. Chemotherapy with S-1 plus cisplatin was given to this patient with unresectable gastric cancer for 4 months. The serum AFP level decreased from 6,160 ng/mL to 60.7 ng/mL with chemotherapy. Since the PVTT disappeared after the chemotherapy, the patient underwent total gastrectomy. Histological findings of the primary tumor after chemotherapy showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma without hepatoid cells and viable tumor cells remaining in less than 1/3 of the neoplastic area of mucosa and one lymph node. The cancerous cells were immunohistochemically stained by anti-AFP antibody. The patient has survived for 48 month without recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

AFP-producing gastric cancer with a PVTT has an extremely poor prognosis, but long-term survival was achieved for this dismal condition by salvage surgery after chemotherapy.

Efficacy and long-term outcome of pre-emptive endoscopic resection and surgery for multiple synchronous gastric cancers

BACKGROUND

In cases of synchronous gastric cancers (SGC) that include one for surgical indication and another for endoscopic resection (ER) in two different regions of the stomach, patients can avoid total gastrectomy and undergo subtotal gastrectomy following successful pre-emptive ER. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of pre-emptive endoscopic resection and surgery (PRES) with curative intent for such SGCs.

METHODS

Between September 2002 and December 2012, 34 patients with SGCs (72 lesions) underwent PRES. Our institutional principals of PRES ensure the following: (1) treatment with curative intent, (2) multiple lesions indicated for ER and surgery, (3) evasion of TG following successful pre-emptive ER, (4) exclusion of type 4 and large type 3 (>80 mm) tumors, and (5) nonemergent cases such as hemorrhage, perforation, and obstruction. Clinicopathological characteristics and technical data were evaluated for all patients, and long-term outcomes were analyzed in patients who obtained curative ER and underwent subtotal gastrectomy.

RESULTS

Curative ER was obtained in 31 patients (91.1 %), and subtotal gastrectomy was performed a median of 44 days after ER. Final stages were as follows: stage I, 25 patients (80.6 %); stage II, four patients (12.9 %); stage III, one patient (3.2 %); and stage IV, one patient (3.2 %). The 5-year overall and cause-specific survival rates were 96.3 % (95 % confidence interval 89.4-100 %) and 100 %, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

PRES was feasible and effective as the first treatment of choice for multiple SGCs. PRES enables minimally invasive surgery with promising oncological outcomes.

Preoperative tumor size is a critical prognostic factor for patients with Borrmann type III gastric cancer

PURPOSE

This study was designed to clarify whether preoperative tumor size is an independent prognostic factor (IPF) for patients with Borrmann type III gastric cancer.

METHODS

The study group comprised 350 patients with Borrmann type III gastric cancer. We performed a log-rank plot analysis to establish the threshold value of preoperative tumor size for the prediction of overall survival (OS). Factors with P < 0.10 on univariate prognostic analyses for OS were put into a Cox's proportional hazards model to identify the IPFs.

RESULTS

Peritoneal lavage cytology (CY) was the strongest IPF for patients with Borrmann type III gastric cancer (P < 0.0001). We were able to measure the tumor size preoperatively in 135 patients with negative CY results (CY0). The cutoff tumor size for the prediction of OS was 5.3 cm. A Cox's proportional hazards model showed that pathological lymph-node metastasis (P = 0.007) and preoperative tumor size (P = 0.018) were significant IPFs in the CY0 patients. Patients with a preoperative tumor size of <5.3 cm had satisfactory outcomes, with a 5-year OS rate of >80 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative tumor size is an IPF for patients with Borrmann type III gastric cancer and CY0. Thus, preoperative tumor size may be a useful factor for deciding on whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy is indicated.

Sequential paclitaxel followed by tegafur and uracil (UFT) or S-1 versus UFT or S-1 monotherapy as adjuvant chemotherapy for T4a/b gastric cancer (SAMIT): a phase 3 factorial randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The prognosis for locally advanced gastric cancer is poor despite advances in adjuvant chemotherapy. We did the Stomach cancer Adjuvant Multi-Institutional group Trial (SAMIT) to assess the superiority of sequential treatment (paclitaxel then tegafur and uracil [UFT] or paclitaxel then S-1) compared with monotherapy (UFT or S-1) and also the non-inferiority of UFT compared with S-1.

METHODS

We did this randomised phase 3 trial with a two-by-two factorial design at 230 hospitals in Japan. We enrolled patients aged 20-80 years with T4a or T4b gastric cancer, who had had D2 dissection and a ECOG performance score of 0-1. Patients were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups with minimisation for tumour size, lymph node metastasis, and study site. Patients received UFT only (267 mg/m(2) per day), S-1 only (80 mg/m(2) per day) for 14 days, with a 7-day rest period or three courses of intermittent weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2)) followed by either UFT, or S-1. Treatment lasted 48 weeks in monotherapy groups and 49 weeks in the sequential treatment groups. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival assessed by intention to treat. We assessed whether UFT was non-inferior to S-1 with a non-inferiority margin of 1·33. This trial was registered at UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, number C000000082.

FINDINGS

We randomly assigned 1495 patients between Aug 3, 2004, and Sept 29, 2009. 374 patients were assigned to receive UFT alone, 374 to receive S-1 alone, 374 to received paclitaxel then UFT, and 373 to receive paclitaxel then S-1. We included 1433 patients in the primary analysis after at least 3 years of follow-up (359, 364, 355, and 355 in each group respectively). Protocol treatment was completed by 215 (60%) patients in the UFT group, 224 (62%) in the S-1 group, 242 (68%) in the paclitaxel then UFT group, and 250 (70%) in the paclitaxel then S-1 group. 3-year disease-free survival for monotherapy was 54·0% (95% CI 50·2-57·6) and that of sequential treatment was 57·2% (53·4-60·8; hazard ratio [HR] 0·92, 95% CI 0·80-1·07, p=0·273). 3-year disease-free survival for the UFT group was 53·0% (95% CI 49·2-56·6) and that of the S-1 group was 58·2% (54·4-61·8; HR 0·81, 95% CI 0·70-0·93, p=0·0048; pnon-inferiority=0·151). The most common grade 3-4 haematological adverse event was neutropenia (41 [11%] of 359 patients in the UFT group, 48 [13%] of 363 in the S-1 group, 46 [13%] of 355 in the paclitaxel then UFT group, and 83 [23%] of 356 in the paclitaxel then S-1 group). The most common grade 3-4 non-haematological adverse event was anorexia (21 [6%], 24 [7%], seven [2%], and 18 [5%], respectively).

INTERPRETATION

Sequential treatment did not improve disease-free survival, and UFT was not non-inferior to S-1 (and S-1 was superior to UFT), therefore S-1 monotherapy should remain the standard treatment for locally advanced gastric cancer in Japan.

FUNDING

Epidemiological and Clinical Research Information Network.

Low creatinine clearance is a risk factor for D2 gastrectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

The feasibility and safety of D2 surgery following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has not been fully evaluated in patients with gastric cancer. Moreover, risk factor for surgical complications after D2 gastrectomy following NAC is also unknown. The purpose of the present study was to identify risk factors of postoperative complications after D2 surgery following NAC.

METHODS

This study was conducted as an exploratory analysis of a prospective, randomized Phase II trial of NAC. The surgical complications were assessed and classified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. A uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for morbidity.

RESULTS

Among 83 patients who were registered to the Phase II trial, 69 patients received the NAC and D2 gastrectomy. Postoperative complications were identified in 18 patients and the overall morbidity rate was 26.1 %. The results of univariate and multivariate analyses of various factors for overall operative morbidity, creatinine clearance (CCr) ≤ 60 ml/min (P = 0.016) was identified as sole significant independent risk factor for overall morbidity. Occurrence of pancreatic fistula was significantly higher in the patients with a low CCr than in those with a high CCr.

CONCLUSIONS

Low CCr was a significant risk factor for surgical complications in D2 gastrectomy after NAC. Careful attention is required for these patients.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin followed by D2 gastrectomy with para-aortic lymph node dissection for gastric cancer with extensive lymph node metastasis

BACKGROUND

Locally advanced gastric cancer with extensive regional and/or para-aortic lymph node (PAN) metastases is typically unresectable and associated with poor outcomes. This study investigated the safety and efficacy of S-1 plus cisplatin followed by extended surgery with PAN dissection for gastric cancer with extensive lymph node metastasis.

METHODS

Patients with gastric cancer with bulky lymph node metastasis along the coeliac artery and its branches and/or PAN metastasis received two or three 28-day cycles of S-1 plus cisplatin, followed by gastrectomy with D2 plus PAN dissection. The primary endpoint was the percentage of complete resections with clear margins in the primary tumour (R0 resection). A target sample size of 50 with one-sided α of 0.105 and β of approximately 0.2 corresponded to an expected R0 rate of 65 per cent and a threshold of 50 per cent.

RESULTS

Between February 2005 and June 2007, 53 patients were enrolled, of whom 51 were eligible. The R0 resection rate was 82 per cent. Clinical and pathological response rates were 65 and 51 per cent respectively. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 59 and 53 per cent respectively. During chemotherapy, grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 19 per cent and grade 3/4 non-haematological adverse events in 15.4 per cent. The incidence of grade 3/4 adverse events related to surgery was 12 per cent. There were no reoperations or treatment-related deaths.

CONCLUSION

For locally advanced gastric cancer with extensive lymph node metastasis, 4-weekly S-1 plus cisplatin followed by surgery including PAN dissection was safe and effective for some patients. Further investigation of this treatment strategy is warranted.

Laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination after induction chemotherapy

Gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination may be diagnosed as unresectable. More recently, as a result of progress in chemotherapy, some patients with peritoneal dissemination have exhibited extended survival. We report on our experience with three patients in whom induction chemotherapy allowed for totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG). All three patients were diagnosed as having advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination using staging laparoscopy. As induction chemotherapy, S-1 combined with cisplatin was administered to two patients and trastuzumab plus capecitabine combined with cisplatin to one patient. TLTG was performed in all patients and there were no postoperative complications. Adjuvant chemotherapy was initiated within 3 weeks after surgery in all three patients. Laparoscopic gastrectomy undertaken after induction chemotherapy was found to be effective and safe; this treatment has the potential to achieve good treatment outcomes in patients with stage IV gastric cancer.

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 unresectable 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/m(2) on days 1, 15 and S-1 40 mg/m(2) 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.