Brief Article
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 7, 2010; 16(29): 3709-3715
Published online Aug 7, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i29.3709
Capecitabine with radiation is an effective adjuvant therapy in gastric cancers
Chee Kian Tham, Su Pin Choo, Donald Yew Hee Poon, Han Chong Toh, Simon Yew Kuang Ong, Sze Huey Tan, Michael Lian Chek Wang, Kian Fong Foo
Chee Kian Tham, Su Pin Choo, Donald Yew Hee Poon, Han Chong Toh, Simon Yew Kuang Ong, Kian Fong Foo, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610, Singapore
Sze Huey Tan, Department of Clinical Trials and Epidemiological Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610, Singapore
Michael Lian Chek Wang, Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610, Singapore
Author contributions: Tham CK, Choo SP, Poon DYH, Toh HC, Ong SYK, Wang MLC and Foo KF designed the research; Tan SH analyzed the data; Tham CK and Choo SP wrote the paper.
Supported by National Cancer Centre Singapore
Correspondence to: Dr. Chee Kian Tham, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610, Singapore. tham.c.k@nccs.com.sg
Telephone: +65-64368000 Fax: +65-62272759
Received: July 14, 2009
Revised: December 23, 2009
Accepted: December 30, 2009
Published online: August 7, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To analyze the outcome of patients who received concurrent capecitabine (Xeloda) and radiation (XRT) compared to the established concurrent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with radiation (5FU-RT) and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy alone as adjuvant treatment in gastric cancers.

METHODS: All patients with gastric cancers who received adjuvant treatment at the National Cancer Centre Singapore between 1996 and 2006 were reviewed. Treatment outcomes of patients who received XRT were compared with those who had 5FU-RT or chemotherapy alone as adjuvant therapy for gastric cancers.

RESULTS: A total of 108 patients were reviewed. Median age at diagnosis was 60. The majority of the patients (64.8%) had advanced stage III and IV disease (with no distant metastasis). All except 4 patients had D2 gastrectomy. Twenty one patients (19.4%) had positive surgical resection margins. Thirty three patients received XRT compared with 52 who had 5FU-RT and 23 who received chemotherapy alone. For the patients in the chemotherapy-only group, all had fluoropyrimidine-based therapy, with added cisplatin in 7 patients and epirubicin in 2 patients. Median recurrence-free survival was longer for the XRT group (52 mo) compared to the 5FU-RT (35 mo) and chemotherapy-only groups (25 mo) (P = 0.48). The patients in the XRT group achieved similar median overall survival (53 mo) as the 5FU-RT (54 mo) and the chemotherapy-only groups (44 mo) (P = 0.5).

CONCLUSION: Capecitabine with concurrent radiation was as effective as concurrent 5FU with radiation or fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy alone when used as adjuvant treatment in patients with gastric cancers.

Keywords: Capecitabine; Radiation; Gastric cancer; Adjuvant chemotherapy