A Randomized, Prospective, Comparative, Multicenter Study of Rabeprazole and Ranitidine in the Treatment of Reflux Esophagitis / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of rabeprazole (proton-pump-inhibitor) and ranitidine (H2-receptor antagonist) in the symptom relief and treatment of erosive esophagitis diagnosed by endoscopy. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with typical gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms were enrolled in this multicenter study. They were randomized into rabeprazole group (53 patients) and ranitidine group (57 patients) respectively. The patients in rabeprazole group were given 10 mg of rabeprazole and ranitidine group received 300 mg of ranitidine before breakfast and dinner for 8 weeks. After the end of treatment, we evaluated the endoscopic healing rate of reflux esophagitis and symptomatic improvement. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of treatment, rabeprazole group showed significantly higher complete endoscopic cure rate than ranitidine group (86.8% [46/53] vs. 57.9% [33/57], p=0.001) and higher symptomatic improvement of heartburn (91.2% [31/34] vs. 76.2% [32/42], p=0.085), especially in the first 7 days (76.7% vs. 45.3%, p=0.008). Also, rabeprazole group showed significantly higher improvement of regurgitation symptom than ranitidine group (100% [35/35] vs. 83% [39/47], p=0.009). Both group showed no differences in the improvement of chest pain and globus sensation. All the adverse events (rabeprazole group 4 events vs. ranitidine group 3 events) were mild and there was no abnormality in laboratory test. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with GERD, rabeprazole 10 mg b.i.d. is superior to ranitidine 300 mg b.i.d. in healing of reflux esophagitis and resolving typical GERD symptoms. Rabeprazole is an effective and well-tolerated drug for GERD treatment.

Retrospective Study on the Therapeutic Effects of an Etoposide, Adriamycin, Cisplatin-II (EAP- II) versus an Etoposide, Leucovorin, 5-Furorouracil (ELF) Combination Chemotheraphy in Unresectable Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: The incidence rate and the mortality rate of gastric cancer have decreased in developed countries over the last several decades. On the other hand, they remain high in far eastern countries such as Korea, Japan, China and in many developing countries. The cure of patients with gastric carcinomas can be achieved mostly through complete surgical resection, but most gastric cancer patients are in advanced stages when diagnosed and have poor prognoses. therefore, the development of an effective systemic therapy is essential for far advanced gastric cancer patients. Until recently, the most commonly used combination chemotherapy was based on 5-flurouracil or cisplatin, but the results were not satisfactory, so recently etoposide, adriamycin and cisplatin (EAP-II) combination chemotherapy was introduced in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Early studies showed a high response rate and the ability to convert unresectable cases to resectable ones, but later studies couldn`t duplicate the result. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative efficacy&toxicity of EAP-II chemotherapy and ELF chemotherapy which is based on 5-flurouracil. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: Between July 1992 and July 2002, sixty-five patients with inoperable advanced gastric cancer were enrolled for this study. Thirty-seven patient received EAP-II chemotherapy:etoposide (20 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days), adriamycin (20 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days) and cisplatin (20 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days) and Twenty-eight patients receieved ELF chemotherapy:etoposide (100 mg/m2 IV for 1~3 days), leucovorin (20 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days) and 5-FU (500 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days). Each treatment schedule for each group was repeated every four weeks: EAP-II means 3.4 cycles per patient: ELF means 4.1 cycles per patient RESULTS: Total respones rates were 5.4% in the ELF group and 3.6% in the EAP group (P-value>0.05). The median times to progression were 144 days in the ELF group and 92 days in the EAP-II group (P-value>0.05), and the median overall survival times were 189 days in the ELF group and 139 days in the EAP-II group (P-value>0.05). The difference in the survival curves for the two regimens was not statistically significant. Non-hematologic toxicitis&hematologic toxicitis were more frequently observed for the EAP-II regimen. Anemia: 27.6% in ELF vs 54% in EAP-II; Leukopenia: 8.5% in ELF vs 19% in EAP-II; nausea&vomiting: 45.9% in ELF vs 67.8% in EAP-II. CONCLUSION: EAP-II regimen is not superior to ELF regimen in the tratment of inoperable advanced gastric cancer.

Retrospective Study on the Therapeutic Effects of an Etoposide, Adriamycin, Cisplatin-II (EAP- II) versus an Etoposide, Leucovorin, 5-Furorouracil (ELF) Combination Chemotheraphy in Unresectable Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: The incidence rate and the mortality rate of gastric cancer have decreased in developed countries over the last several decades. On the other hand, they remain high in far eastern countries such as Korea, Japan, China and in many developing countries. The cure of patients with gastric carcinomas can be achieved mostly through complete surgical resection, but most gastric cancer patients are in advanced stages when diagnosed and have poor prognoses. therefore, the development of an effective systemic therapy is essential for far advanced gastric cancer patients. Until recently, the most commonly used combination chemotherapy was based on 5-flurouracil or cisplatin, but the results were not satisfactory, so recently etoposide, adriamycin and cisplatin (EAP-II) combination chemotherapy was introduced in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Early studies showed a high response rate and the ability to convert unresectable cases to resectable ones, but later studies couldn`t duplicate the result. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative efficacy&toxicity of EAP-II chemotherapy and ELF chemotherapy which is based on 5-flurouracil. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: Between July 1992 and July 2002, sixty-five patients with inoperable advanced gastric cancer were enrolled for this study. Thirty-seven patient received EAP-II chemotherapy:etoposide (20 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days), adriamycin (20 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days) and cisplatin (20 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days) and Twenty-eight patients receieved ELF chemotherapy:etoposide (100 mg/m2 IV for 1~3 days), leucovorin (20 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days) and 5-FU (500 mg/m2 IV for 1~5 days). Each treatment schedule for each group was repeated every four weeks: EAP-II means 3.4 cycles per patient: ELF means 4.1 cycles per patient RESULTS: Total respones rates were 5.4% in the ELF group and 3.6% in the EAP group (P-value>0.05). The median times to progression were 144 days in the ELF group and 92 days in the EAP-II group (P-value>0.05), and the median overall survival times were 189 days in the ELF group and 139 days in the EAP-II group (P-value>0.05). The difference in the survival curves for the two regimens was not statistically significant. Non-hematologic toxicitis&hematologic toxicitis were more frequently observed for the EAP-II regimen. Anemia: 27.6% in ELF vs 54% in EAP-II; Leukopenia: 8.5% in ELF vs 19% in EAP-II; nausea&vomiting: 45.9% in ELF vs 67.8% in EAP-II. CONCLUSION: EAP-II regimen is not superior to ELF regimen in the tratment of inoperable advanced gastric cancer.

Pylorus-preserving Proximal Gastrectomy vs. Total Gastrectomy with Jejunal Interposition for Proximal Gastric Adenocarcinomas

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- term outcome of a pylorus-preserving proximal gastrectomy by comparing it with a jejunal interposition after a total gastrectomy in proximal gastric adenocarcinoma. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: For 22 patients (12 men and 10 women) who underwent a pylorus-preserving proximal gastrectomy, several clinical parameters were obtained from the medical records retrospectively. In this study, the data were collected between September 1993 and December 1999 at Chungnam National University Hospital, and the results were compared with those of 25 patients (17 men and 8 women) who underwent an isoperistaltic simple jejunal interposition. RESULTS: The average operative time in the pylorus-preserving proximal gastrectomy group (220 minutes) was shorter than that in the jejunal interposition group (243 minutes) (P<0.05). The hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were significantly higher in the pylorus-preserving proximal gastrectomy group at 2 years after the operation. The body weight ratio (postoperative body weight/preoparative body weight) in patients who had a pylorus-preserving proximal gastrectomy was significantly higher than that in patients with a jejunal interposition at 2 years after the operation. The jejunal interposition procedure had better outcomes in anastomotic site stricture, duration of hospital stay, and number of removed lymph nodes (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: We think that from the viewpoint of quality of life, a pylorus-preserving proximal gastrectomy, as well as a jejunal interposition, is a useful reconstruction method for early adenocarcinomas of the proximal stomach. However, stricture of the esophagogastrostomy site in the pylorus- preserving proximal gastrectomy is a common problem to be solved in the future.

Jejunal Interposition after Total Gastrectomy

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term outcome of a jejunal interposition, by comparing it with a conventional Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy, after a total gastrectomy. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: For 28 patients (20 men and 8 women) with a gastric adenocarcinoma, who underwent an isoperistaltic simple jejunal interposition, weight, hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum protein and albumin, and cholesterol levels were checked before the operation and at 1 year and 2 years after the surgery. Also, endoscopy was performed to confirm reflux esophagitis. In this study, the data were collected between January 1993 and July 1999 at Chungnam National University Hospital, and the results were compared with those of the Roux-en-Y procedure. RESULTS: The body weights at 1 year and 2 years after the surgery had returned to 86.0% and 87.6% of the recent original body weight in the jejunal interposition (JI) group and to 90.8%, 87.0%, respectively in the Roux-en-Y (RY) group. The levels of hemoglobin (g/dl) were 13.3, 12.5, and 11.9 in the JI group, and 13.8, 12.6, and 12.1 in the RY group at the time of the operation and at 1 year, and 2 years after the surgery, respectively. The total serum protein (g/dl) levels were 7.1, 7.2, and 7.5 in the JI group and 7.1, 7.0, and 7.2 in the RY gropu at the time of the operation and at 1 year and 2 years after the surgery, respectively. The serum albumin (g/dl) levels were 4.2, 4.1, and 4.2 in the JI group and 4.2, 4.2, and 4.2 in the RY group at the time of the operation and at 1 year, and 2 years after the surgery, respectively. The total serum cholesterol (mg/dl) levels were 186.5, 174, and 164 in the JI group and 213.7, 171.1, and 141.0 in the RY group at the time of the operation and at 1 year and 2 years after the surgery, respectively. The endoscopic finding showed that reflux esophagitis occurred in 7.1% of the patients in the JI group and in 3.5% in the RY group. CONCLUSION: We think that from the view point of quality of life, a jejunal interposition, as well as a Roux-en-Y procedure, is a useful reconstruction methods for a total gastrectomy.