Efficacy of conversion gastrectomy following docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 therapy in potentially resectable stage IV gastric cancer

BackgroundRecent advances in gastric cancer chemotherapy have made macroscopic complete resection possible in some patients with stage IV disease.MethodsWe retrospectively investigated the efficacy of multimodal therapy with combined docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 (DCS) and conversion gastrectomy in 57 patients with stage IV gastric cancer.ResultsOf the 57 patients, 15 patients were categorized into potentially resectable case, which is defined as patients with single incurable factor including the upper abdominal para-aortic lymph node metastasis (16a2b1 PAN metastasis) or fewer than three peripheral liver metastases. The other 42 were categorized as initially unresectable. All of patients underwent DCS therapy, and then 34 patients underwent conversion gastrectomy. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate among the patients who underwent conversion gastrectomy was 50.1% with MST of 29.9 months. They had significantly longer OS than patients who underwent DCS therapy alone (p < 0.01). Univariate analysis among the patents with conversion gastrectomy identified 16a2b1PAN metastasis, peritoneal metastasis, potential resectable case, R0 resection as significant prognostic factors. A 3-year OS in potential resectable cases was 92.9%. Multivariate analysis identified potential resectability as the only independent prognostic factor contributing to OS (HR 0.133, 95%CI 0.024-0. 744, p = 0.021). In contrast, clinical response was selected as the only independent prognostic factor in the subgroup of initially unresectable cases (HR 0.354, 95%CI 0.151-0.783, p = 0.021).ConclusionPatients with potentially resectable disease had a remarkably good prognosis among stage IV gastric cancer patients, and might be ideal candidates for conversion gastrectomy following DCS therapy.