Preoperative chemoimmunotherapy with Carboplatin, epidoxorubicin, 5-Fluorouracil and alpha-2b interferon in locally advanced inoperable gastric-cancer.

Twenty-six patients with locally advanced, inoperable gastric cancer were treated with carboplatin, epidoxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil (FEP) plus alpha 2b interferon. Total gastrectomy was performed in patients achieving clinical complete or partial response. The overall response rate after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 67%. In 13/15 patients undergoing surgery no residual tumor was evident after resection. After a median follow-up of 14 months, 4/13 disease-free patients have relapsed. The median survival time is 13 months for all patients, and 19 months for disease-free patients; in four patients survival time exceeds twenty-four months. Our multimodality program is effective in locally advanced gastric cancer and warrants further evaluation.