[Recent advances in chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: from the standpoint of survival advantages].

Recently, there have been many reports indicating higher response rates in combination chemotherapies for advanced gastric cancer. Since 1990, several randomized controlled trials (RCT) have been reported, which showed evidences of survival impacts in such cases. Patients treated with chemotherapy obtained significant survival advantages over those with best supportive care in three RCTs. The RCT from EORTC also resulted in more significant survival prolongation in FAMTX than in FAM, and FAMTX should be a reference arm for new regimens. Some RCTs are now under way to establish a standard therapy for advanced gastric cancer. From the analysis of long-term results of Japanese studies, 3% of entry cases survived longer than 5 years with no evidence of disease by chemotherapy. Chemotherapy for gastric cancer should be evaluated with survival advantages or rate of long-term survivors in future studies.