[Combination of irinotecan and Mitomycin C as second-line chemotherapy for patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer in clinical practice].

BACKGROUND: Recently, combination S-1 and CDDP chemotherapy is considered as a standard regimen for unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer. Second-line chemotherapy is reportedly important to improve survival, and combination of Irinotecan and Mitomycin C as second-line chemotherapy has proven effective in phase II study of JCOG 0109-DI. PURPOSE: We assessed the efficacy of combination of Irinotecan and Mitomycin C as second-line chemotherapy for unresectable and recurrent gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We treated 12 patients receiving combination of Irinotecan and Mitomycin C as second-line chemotherapy between Nov. 2002 and Apr. 2006. RESULTS: The response rate was 42% including 2 complete response. Progression-free survival was 6.1 months, and time to progression was 5.4 months. Median survival time after the start of second-line chemotherapy was 11.2 months, and after first-line treatment 20.5 months. One-year survival rate was 50%, and 2-year survival rate was 33%. CONCLUSION: In our hospital, combination of Irinotecan and Mitomycin C as second-line chemotherapy prolonged median survival time, and seemed to be an effective regimen.