Therapeutic effects of FOLFOX6 versus TLF regimen as the first line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer

Objective To compare the efficacy,time to disease progression(TTP),overall survival(OS) and toxicity of FOLFOX6 and TLF regimens foradvanced gastric cancer.Methods The clinical data of 81 chemotherapy-nave patients with advanced gastric cancerwere analyzed.Of the 81 patients,41 were treated with FOLFOX6 regimen and 40 with TLF regimen.The patients in FOLFOX6 group received intravenous infusion of L-OHP(100 mg/m2) at day 1,bolus injection of 5-FU(400 mg/m2) at day 1,and continuous intravenous infusion of 5-FU(1200 mg/m2/d) for 22 h at days 1-2,each treatment cycle lasting 14 days.The patients in TCF group received TAX(90 mg/m2) at day 1,bolus injection of 5-FU(400 mg/m2) at days 1-2,and continuous intravenous infusion of 5-FU(400 mg/m2/d) for 22 h at days 1-2,and each treatment cycle also lasted 14 days.Results The objective response rates were 48.8% in FOLFOX6 group and 50.0% in TLF group(P=0.962).The median TTP in the two groups was 6.30 months and 6.50 months(P=0.958),with median survival time of 9.80 months and 10.70 months(P=0.578),respectively.The most frequent adverse events were nausea,vomiting and hematologic toxicities.The incidences of grade III-IV leucopenia and neutropenia were lowerin FOLFOX6 group than in TLF group,but the difference was not statistically significant(12.2%vs 30.0%,P=0.112;14.6%vs 32.5%,P=0.126).Three patients in FOLFOX6 group developed intestinal obstruction during the chemotherapy.Conclusions Both FOLFOX6 and TLF regimens are effective in treating advanced gastric cancerand the toxicities can be tolerated.