[Prospective randomized trial of prophylaxis of postoperative peritoneal carcinomatosis of advanced gastric cancer: intraperitoneal chemotherapy with mitomycin C bound to activated carbon particles].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the beneficial effect of intraperitoneally applied mitomycin bound to activated carbon particles (MMC-CH) in the prevention and treatment of intraabdominal recurrence after curative surgery for gastric cancer.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-four patients with radically resected gastric cancer infiltrating the serosal surface were randomly divided into group receiving 50 mg mitomycin bound to a solution of 375 mg carbon adsorbent intraperitoneally before closure of the abdominal wound (n = 62) and a control group (n = 62). The patients with MMC-CH and the control group were received systemic chemotherapy 3 months or 3 weeks after operation respectively. The postoperative recurrence-free survival was evaluated to analyze the benefits of this treatment.

RESULTS

After observation for 8 months (range, 2 - 65). The 3-, 5-year postoperative recurrence-free survival rates were significantly higher in the MMC-CH group (70.16%, 44.51%) than in the control group (27.09%, 14.45%), P < 0.01.

CONCLUSION

Adjuvant intraperitoneal chemotherapy of gastric cancer by mitomycin bound to activated carbon particles is effected by an increased postoperative recurrence-free survival rate.