Randomized phase III trial of cisplatin, epirubicin, leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil (PELF) combination versus 5-fluorouracil alone as adjuvant chemotherapy in curative resected stage III gastric cancer.

Purpose: The combination of cisplatin, epirubicin, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil (PELF) administration, as adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection for gastric cancer, was compared with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) administration alone. This paper reports the results of a prospective randomized comparison of the two regimens, PELF and 5-FU.

Methods: From August 1996 to July 1999, 54 patients were selected subsequent to being diagnosed with stage III cancer after a curative resection for gastric cancer.