A multi-institutional evaluation of carboplatin plus docetaxel combination in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer

Abstract

Purpose: Albeit the majority of gastric cancers occur at advanced age, little is known regarding the optimal systemic treatment of elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

Methods: Patients with AGC who were >= 65 years old and were treated with carboplatin (area under the curve/AUG 5, on day 1, every 3 weeks) plus docetaxel (75 mg/m(2), on day 1, every 3 weeks) at 3 institutions were included in this retrospective analysis. The efficacy and the safety data of the regimen were analyzed.

Results: A total of 30 patients were enrolled. They received 128 cycles of chemotherapy, with a median of 4 cycles (range 2-8). Complete response (CR) and partial response (PR) were observed in 2 (6.7%) and 10 patients (33.3%), respectively, amounting to an overall objective response rate (ORR) of 40%. Seven patients (23.3%) had disease stabilization (SD), and 11(36.7%) showed disease progression (PD). The most common grade 3-4 toxicity was neutropenia occurring in 19 patients (63.3%). The mean progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.0 +/- 0.5 months (95% CI: 5.0-7.4), and the mean overall survival (OS) 12.0 +/- 1.0 months (95% CI: 9.2-12.1).

Conclusion: Carboplatin plus docetaxel seems to be an active and well-tolerated regimen, representing a valuable alternative to cisplatin- and/or fluoropyrimidine-containing regimens for the treatment of elderly patients with AGC.