A new chemotherapeutic regimen in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer.
The results of different chemotherapeutic regimens used in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer are compared. Three groups of patients were evaluated. The first group (59 patients) was treated by a new regimen consisting of methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide and lederfolin (MFC + CF), the second group (21 patients) was treated by COnFU regimen (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, 5-fluorouracil), and the third group (35 patients) was treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) alone. The control group of 41 patients with advanced gastric cancer was not treated cytostatically. The percentages of positive responses were as follows: 49.2% in the group treated with the new regimen, 33.3% in the COnFU group, and 14.3% in the 5-fluorouracil group. Median survival time of patients treated with the new regimen was significantly longer than that in the control group. Toxicity resulting from the new regimen treatment was moderate. The results of the new regimen can be compared to those obtained by other authors using the FAM regimen.