Randomized study with mitomycin C + 5-fluorouracil + cytosine arabinoside (MFC) + 5-fluorouracil, MFC + tegafur and uracil (UFT), and MF + UFT in advanced gastric cancer: Interinstitutional differences in a multicenter study in Japan

In a phase III randomized trial of adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer, interinstitutional differences were analyzed. A trial of three regimens: mitomycin C, 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) and CA (MFC) + continuous oral 5-FU (Group C); MFC + continuous oral UFT(tegafur and uracil) (Group B); and MF + UFT (Group C) after operation was conducted in 466 patients with gastric cancer (stage II and III) at four hospitals in Japan (CIH, CAD, ACC and NCC). Patients were stratified by the institution, stage, and tumor size (8 cm). The 5-year survival rates were in the order of Group A (79.0%)B (70.0%)C (61.0%) (P = 0.1228) in total, A (95.0%)B (80.0%)C (58.0%) (P0.05) at CAD (82 patients), ACB at CIH (215), CAB at ACC (95), and BAC at NCC (78). The survival rate of patients with S2(serosal exposure), 8 cmand N0-1 cancer was higher at CIH than at the other institutions. The interinstitutional differences in patient characteristics and surgical technique were more powerful than the differences among the three groups.