Prolongation of survival and improvement in performance status following palliative chemotherapy in gastrointestinal cancer patients with a poor performance status.
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| Abstract | BACKGROUND: The prognosis of advanced gastrointestinal cancer, especially in patients with poor performance status (PS), is generally dismal. Patients with PS 3-4 are almost ineligible for participation in clinical studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 2000 to February 2007, 116 patients with poor PS (PS 3 = 73 and PS 4 = 43) were treated with chemotherapy. Retrospective analysis was performed. RESULTS: Of the 107 patients with at least one measurable lesion, a partial response was obtained in 15 patients (14.0%). Of 65 patients with ascites and/or pleural effusion, 12 patients achieved decreased fluid accumulation. A decline in tumor markers was observed in 30 patients. As a result, 38 patients (32.7%) achieved tumor response, a decrease in fluid accumulation or a decline in tumor markers (responders), which resulted in a survival benefit compared to the other 78 patients without effect (6.9 vs. 2.2 months, p < 0.001). PS improvement was seen in 16 patients (13.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that chemotherapy may be beneficial in gastrointestinal cancer patients with poor PS, as demonstrated by a certain degree of improvement in PS and survival in responders. Further study is required to confirm the benefit of chemotherapy in this patient population.
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| Authors | Kohei Shitara, Masaki Munakata, Masaharu Kasai, Osamu Muto, Yuh Sakata |
| Journal | Oncology (Oncology) Vol. 74 Issue 3-4 Pg. 135-42 ( 2008) ISSN: 1423-0232 [Electronic] Switzerland |
| PMID | 18714163 (Publication Type: Journal Article) |
| Copyright | (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel. |
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