Effect of combination of 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and mitomycin C (FEM) on advanced gastric carcinoma.

Fifteen patients with advanced gastric carcinoma were treated with the combination of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), Epirubicin (EPI) and Mitomycin C (MMC). Twelve of 15 patients were evaluable. Three patients showed partial response (25%) and 4 showed no change (33%) according to the criteria of Japan Society for Cancer Therapy. Mean survival time for responders, nonresponders and all evaluable patients were 14. 3, 3.6 and 6.3 months, respectively. Two patients with partial response lived over 18 months. Major toxicities included myelosuppression, nausea and vomiting, and alopecia. These were mild in general and reversible by discontinuance. No cardiotoxicity developed. It was concluded that this combination therapy is beneficial in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma because it showed measurable clinical effectiveness with less toxicity than FAM therapy (a combination of 5-FU, Doxorubicin and MMC).

[Controlled study of MQF-OK therapy with FT and with UFT on various advanced gastrointestinal cancers. Hirosaki Cooperative Study Group of Cancer Chemotherapy].

Our cooperative study group carried out a controlled study of MQF-OK therapy with tegafur (FT) (group A) and with UFT (group B), a compound of FT and uracil in the molar ratio of 1:4, on various advanced gastrointestinal cancers. From January 1985 to May 1987, 91 patients were entered into this study, and 11 cases were ineligible for the protocol (11%). Fifty of 80 cases had advanced gastric cancer, 30 had pancreatic cancer or other cancers, such as colon cancer, and biliary tract cancer. They were divided into group A or B at random. There was no difference in the patient characteristics between group A and B. In gastric cancer, 23 of 50 cases were randomized into group A and 27 cases into group B. Two cases in group A (8.7%) and 7 cases in group B (25.9%) showed PR. The response rate of group B was better than that of group A, but the value of P by Kruskal-Wallis test was 0.27. Thirteen of the 30 other cancers were randomized into group A and 17 cases into group B. Three cases in group A and B, respectively, showed PR. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of antitumor effect, prolongation of life or side effects. In conclusion, it was suggested that the MQF-OK therapy with UFT was beneficial for the Remission Induction Therapy in advanced gastric cancer.