Advanced gastric cancer: a new combined surgical and oncological approach.

Forty-two patients with advanced gastric carcinoma underwent chemotherapy in accordance with the FAMTX protocol. Complete tumor remission was achieved in 7%, and partial remission in 29% of the patients. In this group 6 patients (tumor stage: T3-4, N 2-3, M X-1) underwent a second-look operation after chemotherapy either to confirm the complete remission or the resect the remaining tumor mass. The mean follow-up time of these 6 patients is 22 (8-55) months; 4 are still in complete remission 8 to 55 months after the first operation. It is concluded that even in advanced stages of gastric carcinomas a more aggressive approach involving a combination of surgical and chemotherapeutic treatment improves the survival time of these patients.