AUTHOR=Xu Yan , Zhang Rupeng , Li Chunfeng , Sun Zhe , Deng Jingyu , Wang Xiaona , Ding Xuewei , Wang Baogui , Xue Qiang , Ke Bin , Zhan Hongjie , Liu Ning , Liu Yong , Wang Xuejun , Liang Han , Xue Yingwei , Xu Huimian 

TITLE=Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Using Fluorouracil Implants Combined With Radical Resection and Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Stage III Gastric Cancer: A Multi-Center, Randomized, Open-Label, Controlled Clinical Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.670651

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.670651

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=Background：Reducing peritoneal recurrence after radical surgery is an important choice to improve prognosis of the patients with advanced gastric cancer. Intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy has the potential to be a promising treatment strategy. In the present study, we conducted a multi-center, randomized, controlled clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy using sustained-release fluorouracil implants plus radical gastrectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy for cTNM stage III gastric cancer.
Methods：The patients were randomized into intraperitoneal chemotherapy group (sustained-release fluorouracil implants administration after standard D2 radical gastrectomy, and followed by XELOX adjuvant chemotherapy) and control group (standard D2 radical gastrectomy, and followed by XELOX adjuvant chemotherapy). 122 patients from 3 centers were enrolled from September 2015 to February 2017.
Results：102 eligible patients completed the treatment course. The median follow-up time was 41.7 months (36.1-52.9 months). The 3-year progression-free survival rate and overall survival of patients in the intraperitoneal chemotherapy group was 43.9% and 49.1%, respectively, which were significantly better than that of the control group, 31.0% and 38.4%. In the intraperitoneal chemotherapy group, the number of cases with peritoneal recurrence was significantly less than that of the control group, 9 cases (17.3%) vs 19 cases (44.2%). There were neither significant differences between the groups in the incidence of hematogenous metastasis, lymph node metastasis, nor local metastasis.
Conclusion：For cTNM stage III gastric cancer, intraoperative sustained-release fluorouracil implants after radical resection combined with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, could significantly reduce the risk of peritoneal recurrence and prolong PFS.