FAM 2 Regimen in Disseminated Gastric Cancer

Abstract

Forty-four previously untreated patients with advanced inoperable and/or disseminated gastric carcinoma were given an i.v. combination (FAM₂) chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil, 400 mg/m² on days 1, 2 and 3, and 21, 22 and 23; adriamycin, 40 mg/m² on days 2 and 22; and mitomycin C, 10 mg/m² on day 1, with a recycle on day 42 (1 cycle = 41 days). Forty patients have completed 2 cycles and are evaluable (median number of cycles 5; range 3 to 8): 26 of these achieved a partial remission, with a response rate of 65 %; 4 (10 %) gained a stable situation for 3 to 6 months, and 10 (25 %) showed progression of disease. Median duration of partial remissions was 10 months, and median survival was 15 months for responders and 5 months for nonresponders. A fall in WBC (< 2500/μl) occurred in 7 % and of platelets (< 80,000/μl) in 4.5 %. Total alopecia occurred in 20 of 40 patients and nausea and or weakness were common findings. No drug-related infection, bleeding or death was observed. Patients with advanced gastric carcinoma can derive useful palliation from FAM₂ chemotherapy.