Clinical Study
Oncology
Oncology 2006;71:341-346
Received: May 30, 2007
Accepted: May 31, 2007
DOI: 10.1159/000108575
Published online: September 14, 2007
Feasibility of Sequential Therapy with FOLFIRI
Followed by Docetaxel/Cisplatin in Patients with
Radically Resected Gastric Adenocarcinoma
A Randomized Phase III Trial
Maria Di Bartolomeo
a
Roberto Buzzoni
a
Luigi Mariani
b
Erminia Ferrario
a
Dotti Katia
a
Arpine Gevorgyan
a
Nicoletta Zilembo
a
Roberto Bordonaro
c
Anna Maria Bochicchio
d
Bruno Massidda
e
Antonio Ardizzoni
f
Giovanni Marini
9
Enrico Aitini
h
Giuseppe Schieppati
i
Giuseppe Comella
j
Graziella Pinotti
k
Salvatore Palazzo
l
Giovanni Cicero
e
Emilio Bajetta
a
on behalf ofthe Italian Trial in Medicai Oncology (lTMO) Group
aMedical Oncology Unit 2 and bStatistics and Biometry Unit, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of
Milano, Milano; cAzienda Ospedaliera S. Luigi Currò, Catania; dCentro Riferimento Oncologico Rionero in Vulture,
Potenza; ePoliciinico Universitario, Monserrato; fOspedale S. Gerardo, Monza; 9Spedali civili, Brescia; hAzienda
Ospedaliera C. Poma, Mantova; iOspedale Generale Provinciale, Saronno; Jlstituto Tumori, Fondazione G. Pasca le,
Napoli; kOspedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, e IAzienda Ospedaliera di Cosenza, Cosenza, Italia
KeyWords
Adjuvant chemotherapy • Docetaxel • Gastric cancer •
Irinotecan
Abstract
Objective: Combination therapies of fluorouracil (FU) with
irinotecan (CPT-ll) and docetaxel plus cisplatin have been
proven to be active in metastatic gastric cancer.ln this paper,
we present the results of a phase III trial in which these two
combinations given sequentiallywere compared to mitomy-
cin C (MMC) monochemotherapy in an adjuvant setting.
Methods: 169 patients with radically resected gastric cancer
were randomized to receive CPT-11 (180 mg/m
2
day 1), leu-
covorin (100 mg/m
2
days 1-2), FU (400-600 mg/m
2
days 1-2,
q 14; for four cycles; FOLFIRI regimen), followed by docetaxel
(85 mg/m
2
day 1), cisplatin (75 mg/m
2
day 1, q 21; for three
cycles; arm A), or MMC (8 mg/m
2
days 1-2 as 2-hour infusion,
q 42; for four cycles; arm B). Ali patients had histologically
confirmed gastric carcinoma with nodal positivity or pT3/4.
A total of 166 patients (85 in arm A and 81 in arm B) were
treated. Adjuvant treatment was completed in 76% of the
patients in arm A and in 70% of the patients in arm B. The
main grade 3/4 side effects recorded were neutropenia in
35%, with only 1 febrile patient, and diarrhea in 11% in arm
A, and thrombocytopenia in 10% and neutropenia in 7% in
arm B. The FOLFIRI regimen and docetaxel/cisplatin given in
sequence was well tolerated and feasible in adjuvant setting.
This sequence treatment currently represents the experi-
mental arm of an ongoing multicenter trial.
Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel
The following investigators should be considered as coauthors: Eu-
genio Villa, IRCCS San Raffaele, Milano; Daniele Fagnani, Azienda
Ospedaliera di Vimercate, Vimercate; Giorgio Reguzzoni, Azienda
Ospedaliera di Circolo Busto Arsizio, Busto Arsizio; Biagio Agostana,
Azienda M. Ascoli, Palermo; Cristina Oliani, Ospedale Civile Maggiore
Borgo Trento, Verona; Basem Kildani, Ospedale S. Orsola Fatebene-
fratelli, Brescia; Maria Duro, Ospedale Valduce, Como; Mario Botta,
Ospedale S. Spirito, Casale Monserrato; Ruggiero Mozzana, Ospeda-
leS. Antonio Abate, Gallarate; Giovanni Mantovani, Policlinico Uni-
versitario, Monserrato, and Gianfranco Porcile, Azienda Ospedaliera
S. Lazzaro, Alba, Italia.
KARGER
© 2006 S. Karger AG. Base!
0030-2414/06/0716-0341 $23 .50/0
Emilio Bajetta, MD
Medica! Onco!ogy Unit 2. Fondazione IRCCS. Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan
Fax +41613061234 Via Venezian l
E·Mail karger@karger.ch Accessible on!ine al: IT-20133 Milano (Italy)
www.karger.com www.karger.com/ocl Tel. +39 022 390 2500. Fax +39 022 390 2149. E-Mail bajelta@istitulotumori.mi.it