The prognostic significance of chemotherapy for stage IV gastric cancer patients: A single-institution experience

Abstract

Purpose

The significance of aggressive chemotherapy for stage IV gastric carcinoma was retrospectively examined.

Methods

This study analyzed 94 stage IV gastric cancer patients who underwent surgery with or without subsequent chemotherapeutic treatment. There were 29 potentially curative patients classified as Curability B and 65 noncurative patients classified as Curability C. These patients were divided into three groups chronologically according to the primary type of drugs administered as the 1st (1989–1998), the 2nd (1999–2002), and the 3rd term (2003–2005).

Results

There was no significant difference in the survival time among the three groups (n = 94). The survival time of the patients classified as Curability C (n = 65) in the 3rd-term group (n = 17) was longer than that of the other two groups (P < 0.05). Similarly, the survival time in patients who were given new drugs and regimens (n = 22) was longer than that in those who were not (n = 43) in Curability C (P < 0.05). A multivariate analysis proved that the administrations of new drugs and regimens were independent factors for the prolongation of survival times for patients undergoing noncurative surgery (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

These findings suggested that the administration of new anticancer drugs might bring about a favorable outcome for stage IV gastric cancer patients, especially in those with evidence of a residual tumor.