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Purpose: Ramucirumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor2 monoclonal antibody, inhibits VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D binding and endothelial cell proliferation. We conducted a phase Ib study to determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of fluorouracil, l-leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFOXIRI) plus ramucirumab., Methods: This phase Ib study investigated three dose levels of FOLFOXIRI plus ramucirumab (three dose levels of irinotecan and fluorouracil with fixed dose of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m 2 and ramucirumab 8 mg/kg on day 1, repeated every 2 weeks) in chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was assessed during the first cycle., Results: A total of ten patients were enrolled. The first four patients received the treatment at dose level 0 (irinotecan 150 mg/m 2 and fluorouracil 2400 mg/m 2 ), and subsequent six patients were treated at dose level 1 (irinotecan 165 mg/m 2 and fluorouracil 3200 mg/m 2 ). No DLT was observed in the nine DLT-evaluable patients, which indicated that the RP2D was dose level 1. Grade 3 or worse adverse events included neutropenia (70%), hypertension (20%), and febrile neutropenia (10%). No treatment-related death was observed in any cycle. The overall response rate was 70%., Conclusion: The RP2D of FOLFOXIRI plus ramucirumab was determined to be 8 mg/kg of ramucirumab, 165 mg/m 2 of irinotecan, 85 mg/m 2 of oxaliplatin, 200 mg/m 2 of l-leucovorin, and 3200 mg/m 2 of fluorouracil., Trial Registration Number: UMIN000023277.

Background: Trastuzumab (T-mab) combined with cisplatin and fluoropyrimidines is a standard first-line treatment for HER2 + advanced gastric cancer (AGC). We conducted the first phase II trial among four Japanese study groups to assess the efficacy and safety of T-mab + S-1 and oxaliplatin (T-SOX130) for HER2 + AGC or recurrent gastric cancer., Methods: Patients with IHC 3 + or IHC 2 + /FISH + tumors received 80 mg/m 2 (80-120 mg/day) oral S-1 on days 1-14, 130 mg/m 2 intravenous oxaliplatin on day 1, and intravenous T-mab (8 mg/kg loading dose, 6 mg/kg thereafter) on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. The primary endpoint was centrally assessed response rate (RR). Adverse events were based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Ver.4.0., Results: We enrolled 42 patients from June 2015 to May 2016. Efficacy and safety analyses were conducted for 39 patients. The data cutoff was May 31, 2018. The confirmed RR was 82.1% (32/39; 90% CI 70.0-90.0); the disease control rate was 87.2% (34/39; 95% CI 73.3-94.4). Nine patients underwent curative surgery after T-SOX130. Median Time to treatment failure (TTF), Progression-free survival (PFS) and Overall survival (OS) was 5.7 (95% CI 4.6-7.0), 7.0 (95% CI 5.5-14.1), and 27.6 (95% CI 15.6-Not reached) months, respectively. Incidences of grade 3-4 adverse events > 10% were thrombocytopenia (17.9%), anorexia (17.9%), anemia (12.8%), neutropenia (10.3%), and hyponatremia (10.3%)., Conclusions: T-SOX130 showed promising response and survival with a favorable safety profile and should be considered for patients with HER2 + AGC.

Purpose: NK012 is a polymeric micelle formulation of SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of NK012 in Japanese patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer., Methods: We conducted a multicenter open-label phase II trial of NK012 monotherapy in 58 patients who had been treated with an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen (group A: 53 patients with UGT1A1 genotype -/-, *6/-, or *28/-; group B: 5 patients with UGT1A1 genotype *6/*28 or *6/*6). The primary endpoint was the response rate (RR). Initial doses of 28 and 18 mg/m 2 for group A and group B, respectively, were administered intravenously over 30 min, and these doses were subsequently administered every 3 weeks. Group A was evaluated as the primary efficacy population, while group B was evaluated for reference., Results: In group A, the RR was 3.8%, and the median progression-free survival and overall survival were 3.30 months and 15.03 months, respectively. In both groups, the most common grade ≥ 3 adverse drug reaction (ADR) was neutropenia and the incidence of grade ≥ 3 diarrhea was low or zero. In group A, 17 serious ADRs were observed in 10 patients (17%); all improved or recovered. In group B, no serious ADRs were observed. No treatment-related deaths were reported in either group., Conclusions: NK012 monotherapy yielded an RR similar to the RR of irinotecan monotherapy that was reported in the phase III EPIC trial (4.2%), and the incidence of grade ≥ 3 diarrhea was low. Based on the incidence and severity of febrile neutropenia and grade ≥ 3 neutropenia, the initial dose of NK012 28 mg/m 2 may be too high for colorectal cancer patients who have previously been treated with an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen.

Purpose: Peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN) and thrombocytopenia are the main dose-limiting toxicities of oxaliplatin for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Because the risk factors for those toxicities in practice have not been clarified, we conducted this prospective study., Methods: AGC patients who received oxaliplatin-based therapy at any of seven institutions participating in the Kyushu Medical Oncology Group were assessed after we obtained written informed consent., Results: A total of 60 patients including 39 males and 21 females were examined. The median age was 66 years. The numbers of patients receiving oxaliplatin as the first, second, or third and later lines of therapy were 39, 16, and 5, respectively. An initial dose of 130, 100, or < 100 mg/m 2 oxaliplatin was administered to 12, 39, and 9 patients, respectively. S-1 or capecitabine as a concomitant drug was administered in 54 and 6 patients, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the comorbidity of diabetes mellitus was associated with ≥ grade 2 thrombocytopenia (p = 0.035). No significant risk factor was associated with ≥ grade 2 PSN. However, the accumulated dose of oxaliplatin exhibited a strong correlation with ≥ grade 2 PSN (p = 0.0043), and the predicted accumulated dose of oxaliplatin in which 10% of patients developed ≥ grade 2 PSN was 800 mg/m 2 . The frequency of PSN in subsequent paclitaxel therapy in patients with ≥ grade 2 or worse PSN in oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy did not increase compared to those with none or grade 1 PSN in oxaliplatin., Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia in AGC patients with diabetes mellitus should be carefully monitored during oxaliplatin-based therapy.

Purpose: Standard therapy for advanced small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) has not yet been established. The present study assessed the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy (CT) in association with molecular targeting approaches for SBA., Methods: The histories of 33 advanced SBA patients from six different institutions in Japan, who received CT from 2008 to 2016, were retrospectively examined for background, clinical course and outcome., Results: Median patient age was 65 years (range 39-83). Primary tumor was located in the duodenum in 21 patients (67%), the ampulla of Vater in three patients (9%), the jejunum in seven patients (21%) and the ileum in one patient (3%). Histologically, well-to-moderately and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma were identified in 20 (61%) and nine (27%) patients, respectively. Thirteen patients received a single CT regimen, seven patients received two types of CT regimen, and 13 patients received three or more CT regimens. As first-line CT, modified FOLFOX6, capecitabine plus oxaliplatin, and S-1 plus cisplatin were employed in 13, 1, and 4 patients, respectively. The response rate (RR) and median progression-free survival (PFS) were 25% and 6.0 months, respectively. Median overall survival (OS) was 13.0 months. Nine out of the 33 patients received bevacizumab-containing CT and three received cetuximab-containing CT. Median OS of bevacizumab-containing CT patients was 21.9 months. No unexpected serious adverse events were observed., Conclusions: The analysis indicates that combination CT for advanced SBA is associated with modest efficacy and safety, and bevacizumab-containing CT may contribute to favorable outcome in these patients.

Purpose: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) has been identified as an important component of many receptor tyrosine kinase-driven cancers. LJM716 is a human IgG monoclonal antibody that binds HER3, trapping it in an inactive conformation. In this study, a phase I dose escalation was performed with a primary objective to establish the maximum tolerated dose and/or the recommended dose of LJM716 in Japanese patients with selected advanced solid tumors. Secondary objectives included the evaluation of the safety and tolerability, preliminary antitumor activity, and pharmacokinetics of LJM716 in Japanese patients., Methods: LJM716 was administered intravenously at doses of 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg once weekly, in 28-day cycles, to 12 patients with HER2-amplified breast cancer or gastric cancer, or with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, regardless of HER2 status., Results: The maximum tolerated dose was not reached, and the recommended dose was established at 40 mg/kg. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed in the first cycle. The most frequently reported adverse events were diarrhea, fatigue, stomatitis, pyrexia, and paronychia. One unconfirmed partial response was observed in a patient with breast cancer, and 50% of the patients achieved stable disease as the best overall response. Exposure increased with ascending dose, and half-life was estimated to be 11-14 days. No anti-LJM716 antibodies were detected., Conclusions: LJM716 was well tolerated in Japanese patients, and a degree of tumor shrinkage was observed., Clinical Trial Information: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01911936., Competing Interests: Shunji Takahashi received research funding from Novartis; Taito Esaki received research funding from Eli Lilly, Taiho, Novartis, Daiichi Sankyo, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Merck Serono, Ono, Boehringer, MSD, and Astellas; Yoshinori Ito received research funding from Chugai, Novartis, Parexel, and EPS; Shunji Takahashi received honoraria from Novartis; Taito Esaki received honoraria from Yakult, Chugai, Eli Lilly, Taiho, and Merck Serono; Yoshinori Ito received honoraria from Chugai, Novartis, Esai, and Taiho; Tomoyuki Kakizume, Takeshi Tajima, Hiromi Takeuchi, and Heiko Maacke are employees of Novartis; Takayuki Kobayashi, Junichi Tomomatsu, Hisanobu Oda, and Tatsuhiro Kajitani have no conflict of interest. The study was designed under the responsibility of and funded by Novartis; Novartis collected and analyzed the data and contributed to the interpretation of the study. All authors had full access to all of the data in the study and had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.

Purpose: This was the first Phase I study to assess the safety and tolerability of the tablet formulation of olaparib (Lynparza™), an oral poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, in Japanese patients with advanced solid tumours. The pharmacokinetic profile and antitumour activity of olaparib tablets were also assessed., Methods: In this open-label, multicentre study (D081BC00001; NCT01813474), a single dose of olaparib (200 or 300 mg, tablets) was administered on day 1, followed 48 h afterwards by multiple dosing (200 or 300 mg twice daily [bid]) for 28-day cycles. Doses were escalated in successive cohorts, with an expansion cohort enrolled at the highest dose that was confirmed to be tolerable during dose escalation., Results: Twenty-eight patients were enrolled and 23 were treated (n = 4, 7 and 12 at 200, 300 and 300 [expansion] mg bid, respectively). No patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity, so the maximum tolerated dose was not defined. The most frequent adverse events were nausea (43.5 %), decreased appetite (30.4 %), anaemia (26.1 %) and constipation (26.1 %). No patient had dose reductions, two had dose interruptions, and two discontinued treatment because of adverse events. Absorption of olaparib was rapid following single and multiple dosing, and plasma concentrations declined biphasically after single dosing. No patients had a confirmed antitumour response., Conclusions: Olaparib tablet doses of 200 and 300 mg bid were considered tolerable in Japanese patients with advanced solid tumours. Consistent with the global olaparib programme, 300 mg bid was selected as the recommended tablet dose for future studies., Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT01813474., Competing Interests: Kan Yonemori reports grants from AstraZeneca during the conduct of the study and personal fees from Eisai Co., Ltd, outside the submitted work. Kenji Tamura, Makoto Kodaira, Koshi Fujikawa, and Tamotsu Sagawa report personal fees from AstraZeneca during the conduct of the study. Taito Esaki reports grants from AstraZeneca during the conduct of the study, and outside of the submitted work: grants and personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Merck Serono, and Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd; grants from Astellas, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Daiichi Sankyo, MSD, Novartis Pharma, Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Sanofi, and Sumitomo Dainippon; and personal fees from Chugai and Yakult. Tsuyoshi Shirakawa reports personal fees from AstraZeneca during the conduct of the study. Fumihiko Hirai reports grants from AstraZeneca during the conduct of the study, and outside of the submitted work: grants and personal fees from Novartis Pharma; personal fees from Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Eli Lilly, Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, and Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Yuki Yokoi, Toshio Kawata, Ben Hatano and Yasuo Takahashi report personal fees from AstraZeneca during the conduct of the study.

Purpose: Investigate the safety and tolerability of AZD5363 and define a recommended dose for evaluation in Japanese patients with advanced solid malignancies., Methods: AZD5363 was administered orally as a single dose, and then the dose was escalated to twice daily (bid) in separate continuous (every day) and intermittent (4 days on, 3 days off [4/3] or 2 days on, 5 days off [2/5]) dosing schedules to reach recommended doses defined by dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Doses for continuous, 4/3, and 2/5 intermittent dosing schedules were 80-400, 360-480, and 640 mg, respectively, and were informed by results from an equivalent study in Caucasian patients., Results: Forty-one patients received AZD5363. DLTs were only experienced with continuous dosing. 97.6 % of patients reported at least one adverse event (AE); most common were diarrhea (78.0 %), hyperglycemia (68.3 %), nausea (56.1 %), and maculopapular rash (56.1 %). Grade ≥3 AEs were reported by 63.4 % of patients. Exposure of AZD5363 was generally dose proportional for both single and multiple doses. Single-dose pharmacokinetics of AZD5363 was generally predictive of multiple-dose pharmacokinetics. Confirmed partial responses were reported by two patients, both of whom were Akt1 (E17K) mutation positive. One patient in the 480 mg bid 4/3 dosing cohort maintained partial response for >2 years., Conclusions: Intermittent dosing of AZD5363 was more tolerable than continuous dosing. 480 mg bid intermittent 4/3 dosing for AZD5363 monotherapy was selected for further investigation. Preliminary evidence of antitumor activity was observed. Akt1 (E17K) is a potent driver mutation that may predict clinical response to AZD5363.

Purpose: Adding leucovorin to fluorouracil is known to improve response rate and overall survival in first-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The present multicenter phase II study evaluated the efficacy and safety of S-1, oxaliplatin, oral leucovorin, and bevacizumab combination therapy (SOLA)., Methods: Patients with unresectable and untreated mCRC received S-1 (40-60 mg bid) plus leucovorin (25 mg bid) orally for 1 week, and oxaliplatin (85 mg/m(2)) and bevacizumab (5 mg/kg) intravenously on day 1, every 2 weeks. Efficacy endpoints, including the response rate (the primary endpoint) and progression-free survival, were assessed by an independent review committee., Results: Of the 29 eligible patients, 25 patients (86%) had a partial response [95% confidence interval (CI) 68-96%] and the remaining four patients showed stable disease with a trend toward tumor shrinkage. The median progression-free survival was 15 months (95% CI 10-26 months). The median overall survival was not reached after a median follow-up time of 34 months. The 3-year survival rate was 54%. Curative resections of metastatic lesions were performed in eight patients (28%). Common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were neutropenia (20%), hypertension (23%), anorexia (20%), fatigue (17%), diarrhea (10%), and peripheral sensory neuropathy (53%)., Conclusions: The SOLA therapy showed excellent efficacy and tolerable toxicities except for peripheral sensory neuropathy in patients with mCRC. Since oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy can be alleviated by modifying its administration, SOLA is a promising candidate regimen to be compared with FOLFOX plus bevacizumab in a future phase III trial., Clinical Trial Number: JapicCTI-090881.

Purpose: Extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas (EPNEC) are rarely observed and are associated with poor outcomes. Based on the clinicopathological similarity, treatment used for small cell lung carcinoma has also been employed for EPNEC, but the response to such therapy has not been well examined. The goal of this study was to investigate amrubicin (AMR) monotherapy as a salvage therapy for EPNEC arising from digestive organs., Methods: Patients with EPNEC of the digestive organs who had prior platinum-based chemotherapy and were subsequently treated with AMR between July 2005 and December 2013 at any one of four institutions were retrospectively examined to characterize the safety and efficacy of AMR., Results: Thirteen patients (ten males, three females; median age 64 years) were examined. Primary cancer sites included stomach (n = 6), rectum (n = 3), esophagus (n = 2), liver (n = 1) and pancreas (n = 1). Prior irinotecan- and etoposide-containing chemotherapies were used in ten and six patients, respectively. Median initial dose of AMR was 40 mg/m(2)/day for three consecutive days, and median of treatment cycles was 4 (range 1-9). The objective response rate (ORR) was 38.5%. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 107 (range 22-275) and 215 days (range 71-535), respectively. Common severe adverse events (grade 3/4) were neutropenia (84.6%) and febrile neutropenia (30.8%). Patient with longer platinum-free interval (>90 days) exhibited longer PFS and OS than those with shorter platinum-free interval (190 vs. 63 days and 348 vs. 145 days, respectively)., Conclusions: AMR showed evidence of clinical activity and safety when used for the treatment of EPNEC. It might be especially useful for populations with sensitive relapse.

Purpose: Biochemical modulation of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) by leucovorin (LV) enhances antitumor activity. LV is thus often added to 5-FU-based regimens for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A combination of S-1, oxaliplatin, and LV (SOL) was shown to be feasible, effective, and safe in a previous phase I trial. We therefore conducted a randomized phase II trial to evaluate efficacy and safety of SOL compared with mFOLFOX6., Methods: Patients with mCRC and no prior chemotherapy were randomly assigned to receive either SOL or mFOLFOX6. SOL consisted of S-1 (40-60 mg bid) plus oral LV (25 mg bid) for 1 week and oxaliplatin (85 mg/m(2)) on day 1, repeated every 2 weeks., Results: Among 107 patients enrolled from July 2008 through July 2009, 105 (56 in the SOL group and 49 in the mFOLFOX6 group) were eligible and evaluated. The median progression-free survival was 9.6 months in the SOL group and 6.9 months in the mFOLFOX6 group [hazard ratio (HR) 0.83, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.49-1.40]. The median overall survival was 29.9 and 25.9 months, respectively (HR 0.91, 95 % CI 0.55-1.49). The response rate was 55 % in both groups. Grade 3 or 4 adverse drug reactions were neutropenia (20 % with SOL vs 41 % with mFOLFOX6), sensory neuropathy (20 vs 2.0 %), anorexia (13 vs 7.8 %), fatigue (11 vs 5.9 %), and diarrhea (11 vs 3.9 %)., Conclusions: SOL demonstrated promising efficacy and acceptable toxicity as first-line chemotherapy for mCRC. Further studies of SOL combined with molecular target agents are warranted.

Purpose: AZD7762, a potent Chk1/Chk2 inhibitor, has shown chemosensitizing activity with gemcitabine in xenograft models., Methods: This open-label, Phase I, dose-escalation study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and preliminary efficacy (RECIST) of AZD7762 alone and in combination with gemcitabine in Japanese patients with advanced solid tumours (NCT00937664). Patients received intravenous AZD7762 alone on days 1 and 8 of a 14-day cycle (cycle 0), followed by AZD7762 plus gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 of 22-day cycles, in ascending AZD7762 dose cohorts., Results: Twenty patients received AZD7762 at doses of 6 mg (n = 3), 9 mg (n = 3), 21 mg (n = 6) and 30 mg (n = 8). Dose-limiting toxicities occurred in 2/6 evaluable patients in the 30-mg cohort: one, CTCAE grade 3 elevated troponin T (cycle 0: AZD7762 monotherapy); one, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase (cycle 1: combination therapy). The 30 mg dose was therefore regarded as non-tolerable. The most common adverse events (AEs) in cycle 0 (AZD7762 monotherapy) were bradycardia (50 %), hypertension (25 %) and fatigue (15 %). Overall, the most common AEs were bradycardia (55 %), neutropenia (45 %) and hypertension, fatigue and rash (30 % each). Grade ≥3 AEs were reported in 11 patients, the most common being neutropenia (45 %) and leukopenia (25 %). AZD7762 exposure increased approximately linearly. Gemcitabine did not appear to affect AZD7762 PK. There were no objective responses; five patients (all lung cancer) had stable disease., Conclusions: The maximum tolerated dose of AZD7762 in combination with gemcitabine, 1,000 mg/m(2) was determined as 21 mg in Japanese patients.

Purpose: The combination of an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, S-1, and irinotecan has been reported to be a promising regimen for advanced colorectal cancer. However, the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab (BV) to combine with irinotecan and S-1 has not been determined. The aim of the study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose (RD) of BV combined with irinotecan plus S-1, and to observe the safety and efficacy of this regimen as second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer., Methods: This study initially had been planned as a phase I/II study. Eighty mg/m(2) of irinotecan on days 1 and 8, 80 mg/m(2) of S-1 for 14 consecutive days, and two doses of BV (Level 1; 10 mg/kg, Level -1; 7.5 mg/kg) were administered on day 1 every 3 weeks., Results: Fourteen patients were enrolled in phase I of the study between January 2008 and September 2010. Dose-limiting toxicities were diarrhea, abdominal pain, and infection. The MTD and RD of BV were determined to be 10 mg/kg and 7.5 mg/kg, respectively. The main adverse events were leukopenia, anorexia, and diarrhea. There were no treatment-related deaths. An independent review committee was scheduled to evaluate safety in phase I, but this trial closed early due to toxicity., Conclusions: This study identified the risk of gastrointestinal toxicity with the combination of irinotecan, S-1 and BV as second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Purpose: This single-arm, phase II clinical study evaluated the efficacy and safety of sequential treatment with S-1 followed by cisplatin in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer., Methods: Fifty patients with histologically confirmed advanced or recurrent gastric cancer and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2 who had measurable and/or assessable lesions and gave written informed consent were enrolled. S-1 (40 mg/m(2), bid) was administered on days 1-21, and cisplatin (70 mg/m(2)) was given as an intravenous infusion on day 22 of a 35-day cycle. Treatment was continued until disease progression or intolerable adverse events. Cisplatin was administered for 6 cycles. Adverse events were assessed according to Common Terminology Criteria of Adverse Events version 3.0, and efficacy was evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.0 for patients with measurable lesions and by the criteria of the Japanese Research Society for Gastric Cancer for all patients., Results: Efficacy could be evaluated in 49 of the 50 enrolled patients. The median age was 62 years. Lesions were measurable in 38 patients and assessable in 11. The response rate was 44.7% in patients with measurable lesions and 40.8% overall. The progression-free survival and overall survival were, respectively, 233 days (7.8 months) and 574 days (19.0 months) in patients with measurable lesions and 192 days (6.4 months) and 402 days (13.4 months) overall. Serious adverse events (grade 3 or higher) included neutropenia (24.5%), anemia (20.4%), and anorexia (20.4%) and were safely managed., Conclusion: The safety and effectiveness of sequential treatment with S-1 followed by cisplatin every 35 days is equivalent to that reported for conventional chemotherapeutic regimens in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.