[Combination therapy with etoposide, adriamycin and cisplatin in advanced primary and recurrent gastric cancer].

Fourteen patients with advanced gastric cancer consisting of seven primary cases and seven recurrent cases were treated with the combination of etoposide, adriamycin and cisplatin (EAP). One of the primary cases (14%) and three of the recurrent cases (43%) responded to the therapy, but a high incidence of toxicities including leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, alopecia, nausea and vomiting was observed. It is concluded that EAP therapy can be useful in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer if countermeasures to the toxicities of these drugs are considered.