Prolonged stable disease effects survival in patients with solid gastric tumor: analysis of phase II studies of doxifluridine.

We have previously reported that the survival time of most patients with solid tumors depend primarily on the length of the cytostatic phase rather than the extent of reduction induced. We analyzed a phase II study of doxifluridine, an intermediate metabolite of capecitabine, in gastric cancer to confirm our concept, because doxifluridine has shown low response rates (14%; 20/140) and long median survival times (371 days). The time to progression curves between the responder and stable disease were almost the same.

[Chemotherapy for older cancer patients].

The population of Japan is gradually aging. Since cancer is mainly a disease of older persons, the incidence of malignancies of all types is expected to increase during the coming decades. Until recently, studies about responses to treatment and toxicity in the elderly patients have been very limited.

[Palliative therapy in cancer. 6. Quality of life and BRM therapy in cancer-patients].

Almost all of anti-cancer drugs developed, injured not only the tumor cells but also the normal cells. For this reason, immunotherapy which injures specifically the tumor cells, has been developed. However, the clinical studies conducted in the past 20 years tend to indicate that even though the immunotherapy does not produce any serious side effect, the anti-tumor effect are not totally satisfactory in spite of marked prolongation of survivals.

[Palliative therapy in cancer. 5. Side effects by anticancer drugs and their treatments].

Many chemotherapeutic agents have been evaluated during the last 40 years and some have now an established place in the management of malignant disease. However these agents have a level of toxicity well above any other group of drugs. Chemotherapeutic agents do not discriminate between normal and neoplastic tissue.

[Palliative therapy in cancer. 4. Palliation of the symptoms from a malignant tumor. (2)].

Patients suffering from malignant disease will probably develop some metabolic abnormality of electrolytes. Hypernatremia is defined as an elevation of serum natrium over 150 mEq/l and caused by decrease of water intake, low level of ADH secretion and impaired response of kidney to ADH. Hyponatremia below 135 mEq/l of serum natrium is caused by SI-DAH, sick cell syndrome and increased loss of natrium from the kidney.