High efficacy of combination chemotherapy with S-1 and low-dose docetaxel for the treatment of highly advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination: A case report

S-1 has been developed as a new oral anticancer drug based on the biological modulation of 5-fluorouracil. We treated a patient with highly advanced gastric carcinoma with a new combination chemotherapy of S-1 and low-dose docetaxel. Evident tumor reduction was observed following two cycles of this therapy in the primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes. This was concluded to be a partial response. The gastric tumor exhibited significant invasion to the serosa. Lymph nodes around the stomach were swollen. Peritoneal dissemination was also identified in the mesocolon. Palliative resection of part of the distal stomach and dissection of regional lymph nodes were performed. Histological examination demonstrated that no tumor cells were detected in the greater omentum, suggesting pathological complete remission. It is suggested that this regimen may provide a potent combined therapy for the treatment of patients with highly advanced gastric carcinoma and it may be useful as an adjuvant chemotherapy. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of this therapy.