ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the influence of single agent and combined medication chemotherapy on elderly patients with gastric cancer. Methods One hundred and twenty elderly inpatients with gastric cancer in the general surgery department of the Nanyang Municipal Central Hospital from January 2009 to October 2014 were divided into the single agent chemotherapy group (n=60) and combined medication chemotherapy group(n=60). The adverse reactions and survival time were compared between the two groups. Results The occurrence rates of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, leukopenia, oral mucositis and peripheral neuropathy in the single agent group were lower than those in the combined chemotherapy group, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05) ; the occurrence rates of Hb decrease, thrombocytopenia and transaminase elevation in the single agent group were lower than those in the combined chemotherapy group,but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0. 05);the survival time in the combined chemotherapy group was longer than that in the single agent chemotherapy group,but the difference between them was not statistically significant(P>0.05). Conclusion Single agent chemotherapy may be considered as the first-line chemotherapy scheme for elderly patients with gastric cancer.