[Progress in chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer]

Abstract

With the rapid development in cytotoxic agents and molecular targeting drugs, some progress in palliative chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer has been achieved and the median survival of advanced gastric cancer patients is prolonged to about one year. In this review, we summarized the application of new agents, such as docetaxel, paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, capecitabine, S1 and targeting drugs in the treatment of patients with advanced gastric cancer. We focused on the results of phase III clinical trials and concluded that till now no standard regimens for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer are available. New combination regimens such as docetaxel-cisplatin-fluorouracil (DCF), epirubicin-oxaliplatin-capecitabine (EOX), fluorouracil-leucovorine-oxaliplatin (FLO), irinotecan, leucovorin and 5-FU (ILF), cispaltin plus xeloda, S1 plus cisplatin are considered as new options for the first-line chemotherapy of advanced gastric cancer. Due to uncertain efficacy and safety concerns, the role of molecular targeting agents in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer needs further investigation. It is suggested that neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a suitable choice for locally advanced gastric cancer.