Original Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1997. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 15, 1997; 3(4): 238-241
Published online Dec 15, 1997. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v3.i4.238
Multicenter randomized study on Me-CCNU, 5-FU and ADM vs ACNU, 5-FU and ADM for treatment of advanced gastric cancer
Shu-Dong Xiao, De-Hua Li, De-Zhong Zhang, Mou-Ji Shen, Xiao-Ting Zhu, Gui-Fen He, Ti-Ping Zhao, Le-Ping Li, Xing-Cun Deng, Min Wang, Xiu-Ling Wang, Qiang Chen, Yong-Ping Zhang, Cui-Ling Yao, Ji-Gui Bao, Guo-Wei Tong, Liang-Fa Zhu, Hao Jiang, Kurihara Minoru
Shu-Dong Xiao, De-Hua Li, De-Zhong Zhang, Mou-Ji Shen, Xiao-Ting Zhu, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China
Gui-Fen He, Ti-Ping Zhao, Le-Ping Li, Shanghai Cancer Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200032, China
Xing-Cun Deng, Min Wang, The 9th People’s Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200011, China
Xiu-Ling Wang, Qiang Chen, Yong-Ping Zhang, Xin-Hua Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200092, China
Cui-Ling Yao, Ji-Gui Bao, Guo-Wei Tong, Yang Pu Cancer Hospital, Shanghai 200082, China
Liang-Fa Zhu, Hao Jiang, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200025, China
Kurihara Minoru, Toyosu Hospital, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Shu-Dong Xiao, Professor of Medicine, Director, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, and Director of the Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Health Ministry of People’s Republic of China, Shanghai Ren-Ji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, 145 Shan Dong Zhong Road, Shanghai 200001, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Shu-Dong Xiao, Professor, Director, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China
Received: March 10, 1997
Revised: April 12, 1997
Accepted: September 22, 1997
Published online: December 15, 1997
Abstract

AIM: To compare the efficacy of a combined chemotherapy regimen of 5-fluouracil (5-FU) and adriamycin (ADM) with nimustine hydrochloride (ACNU; brand name Nidran), a new nitrosourea agent, or with methyl-CCNU for advanced gastric cancer.

METHODS: One-hundred-and-three cases of advanced gastric cancer were randomly allocated into Group A (Me-CCNU, 5-FU and ADM combination) and Group B (ACNU, 5-FU and ADM combination). The quality of life (QOL) questionnaire, composed of 11 ordinal categorical items, was used to collect data from these patients.

RESULTS: Group A had no case of complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR), while Group B had no CR but 8 PR (8/46 cases), for a response rate of 0% in Group A and 17.4% in Group B. The median survival time in Group A was 108 d and in Group B was 112 d. Both groups tolerated the treatment well and there were no serious adverse effects. QOL evaluations showed better psychological and physical feelings of tiredness for Group B than for Group A, and scores based on facial scaling showed a more pleasant inclination for the former.

CONCLUSION: ACNU combination is superior to the Me-CCNU combination for advanced gastric cancer patients.

Keywords: Stomach neoplasms; Adriamycin; 5-fluouracil; Mitomycin C; Nimustine hydrochloride