A pilot phase II study of capecitabine in advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer, we conducted a pilot phase II study in Japan. Patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer were given oral capecitabine 828 mg/m(2) twice daily for 3 weeks, followed by 1 week of no treatment. Two or more cycles were administered. From July 1996 to December 1997, 32 patients were enrolled in the study. The response to capecitabine was evaluated in 31 patients, excluding 1 found to be ineligible. The overall response rate was 19.4% (6/31, 95% confidence interval: 7.5-37.5%). The median duration of response was 124.5 days, the median time to disease progression 85.0 days, and the median survival time 247.5 days. Drug-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher were infrequent: in 2 patients (6.3%) total bilirubin concentration increased, and 1 patient (3.1%) each had elevation of GOT, anemia, lymphopenia, increased creatinine, and hand-foot syndrome. No patient had gastrointestinal toxicity of grade 3 or higher. Capecitabine was suggested to be safe and effective in the treatment of advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. Further phase II studies of capecitabine on a large scale are warranted.