Perioperative chemotherapy with docetaxel, oxaliplatin, and fluorouracil/leucovorin (FLOT) versus epirubicin, cisplatin, and fluorouracil or capecitabine (ECF/ECX) for resectable gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma (FLOT4-AIO): A multicenter, randomized phase 3 trial.

4004 Background: The MAGIC trial established perioperative (periop) epirubicin, cisplatin, and 5-FU (ECF) as a standard treatment for patients (pts) with operable esophagogastric cancer, but survival continues to remain poor. FLOT4 (NCT01216644) is a multicenter, randomized, investigator-initiated, phase 3 trial. It compares the docetaxel-based triplet FLOT with the anthracycline-based triplet ECF/ECX as a periop treatment for pts with resectable gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma. Methods: Eligible pts of stage ≥cT2 and/or cN+ were randomized to either 3 preoperative and 3 post-operative 3-week cycles of ECF/ECX (epirubicin 50 mg/m2, cisplatin 60 mg/m², both d1, and 5-FU 200 mg/m² as continuous infusion or capecitabine 1250 mg/m2 orally d1-21) or 4 pre-operative and 4 post-operative 2-week cycles of FLOT (docetaxel 50 mg/m2, oxaliplatin 85 mg/m², leucovorin 200 mg/m², and 5-FU 2600 mg/m² as 24-hour infusion, all d1). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS; 80% power; HR of 0.76; 2-sided log-rank test at 5% type I error). Results: Between Aug 2010 and Feb 2015, 716 pts (360 ECF/ECX; 356 FLOT) were randomly allocated. Baseline characteristics were similar between arms (overall, male 74%; median age 62; cT3/T4 81%; cN+ 80%; GEJ 56%). 91% and 37% of pts with ECF/ECX and 90% and 50% with FLOT completed planned pre-operative and post-operative cycles, respectively. Median follow-up was 43 mon. 369 pts died (203 ECF/ECX; 166 FLOT). FLOT improved OS (mOS, 35 mon with ECX/ECF vs. 50 mon with FLOT; HR 0.77 [0.63 - 0.94]; p = 0.012). 3y OS rate was 48% with ECF/ECX and 57% with FLOT. FLOT also improved PFS (mPFS, 18 mon with ECX/ECF vs. 30 mon with FLOT; HR 0.75 [0.62 - 0.91]; p = 0.004). Periop complications were 50% with ECF/ECX and 51% with FLOT. 30- and 90-day mortality was 3% and 8% with ECF/ECX and 2% and 5% with FLOT. There was more G3/4 nausea and vomiting with ECF/ECX and more G3/4 neutropenia with FLOT. Conclusion: Periop FLOT improved outcome in patients with resectable gastric and GEJ cancer compared to periop ECF/ECX. Clinical trial information: NCT01216644.