[An evaluation of perioperative and continuous infusion of tegafur as surgical adjuvant chemotherapy of resected gastric cancer].

Perioperative continuous intravenous infusion of Tegafur (FT) seems theoretically an effective adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with gastric carcinoma. Then we estimated the clinical effect of this therapy on the survival of patients who had undergone curative (Stage I, II, III) and non-curative (Stage IV) resection of a primary gastric carcinoma. One hundred fifty patients received chemotherapy and two hundred thirty-seven were observed. Results showed a significant difference in survival curves of Stage I (p less than 0.01) and Stage III (p less than 0.01). The 5-year survival rate was 100% for the adjuvant therapy arm and 82% for the observation arm in Stage I. In stage III, the survival curve of both arms was similar from the beginning to the 5th year, but the 7-year survival rate was 53% and 39%, respectively. There was no serious side effect of chemotherapy. These results demonstrate that this chemotherapy regimen is beneficial and recommendable as a perioperative adjuvant chemotherapy for resected gastric cancer in which the cancer cells were almost removed.