Published in the New England Journal of Medicine on a study shows that postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy combination can improve the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer cases.
St. Vincent Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York of Dr. John S. MacDonald and his colleagues selected 556 cases of stomach or gastroesophageal junction cancer patients were randomly divided into simple operation group and after surgery with radiotherapy and chemotherapy group compared the prognosis. Radiotherapy of the programme, including 5-fluorouracil, formyl Relationship and 4500 PCT gray doses of radiation.
The results showed that radiotherapy and chemotherapy group and simple operation group after an average survival time were 36 and 27 months , after a recurrence of survival were 30 and 19 months . Three cases of death in patients with radiotherapy and chemotherapy that is due to the toxicity caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with three and four toxicity of the rates were 41% and 32%.
Dr. MacDonald said, despite the large number of previous studies that the whole, after all kinds of chemotherapy treatment had no significant effect. However, the study by radiotherapy and chemotherapy combination, statistical analysis shows that could significantly improve the overall survival and disease-free survival rates.
He pointed out that the understanding of cancer tumor removed in the mode of recurrence is very important. For stomach cancer, about 80% to 90% of the recurrent factors involved in a local recurrence, to take measures to control local recurrence is important. The current study used chemotherapy supplemented with radiotherapy control of local recurrence, the prognosis of patients with significantly improved.
Dr. MacDonald pointed out that the study of drugs used in chemotherapy drug epidemic is the 1990s, therefore, it is necessary for the 21st century and the new chemotherapy drug developed by an in-depth study to see whether they have a better effect. Moreover, before the adjuvant treatment of the effects need further study.
