Modified docetaxel, cisplatin and capecitabine for stage IV gastric cancer in Japanese patients: A feasibility study

AIM: To evaluate the feasibility of chemotherapy including fluoropyrimidine, platinum and taxane with modified dosages for unresectable gastric cancer in Japanese patients. METHODS: We performed a feasibility study of a modified docetaxel, cisplatin and capecitabine (DCX) regimen for stage IV gastric cancer. In particular, 30 or 40 mg/m(2) of docetaxel on day 1, 60 mg/m(2) of cisplatin on day 1, and 2000 mg/m(2) of capecitabine for 2 wk were administered every three weeks. RESULTS: Three patients were treated with modified DCX (mDCX) with 30 mg/m(2) docetaxel, and five patients were treated with this regimen with 40 mg/m(2) docetaxel. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was observed in six of the eight patients; no patients exhibited febrile neutropenia. Partial response was achieved in four of the eight patients. Three patients underwent gastrectomy, which achieved R0 resection without residual tumors in dissected lymph nodes. In one of these three patients, resected specimens revealed pathological complete response in the primary lesion and in lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: mDCX was well tolerated by Japanese patients with stage IV gastric cancer. This regimen might be useful for allowing gastric cancer patients with distant lymph node metastasis to undergo conversion surgery.