Safety and efficacy of a docetaxel-5FU-oxaliplatin regimen with or without trastuzumab in neoadjuvant treatment of localized gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer: A retrospective study.

Background: Triplet chemotherapy, with docetaxel-5FU-oxaliplatin FLOT regimen recently became the standard perioperative treatment for localized gastric cancer (GC). An adapted regimen called TeFOX was recently tested in metastatic setting and gave promising results.

Aim: To determine safety and efficacy of TeFOX perioperative regimen.

Methods: This monocentric retrospective study aims to test efficacy and safety of the perioperative TeFOX regimen given alone or in combination with trastuzumab in patients with localized GC. TeFOX consist in docetaxel (50 mg/m²) with oxaliplatin 85 mg/m² and and leucovorin (400 mg/m) 5 FU bolus (400 mg/m) on day 1, followed by continuous infusion of 5FU for 46 h (2400 mg/m) every 2 wk.

Results: Thirty-three consecutive patients were included in this retrospective study. Eighteen patients have a gastroesophageal junction cancer and 11 have a GC. Median follow-up of surviving patients was 32 mo. R0 resection was obtained in 30 (91) patients. Twelve patients (36) had a pathological complete response and 8 (24) patients a nearly complete pathological response. Median OS and PFS were not reached at data base lock. We have observed 6 metastatic relapses and 1 localized relapse. No relapse was observed in patients with pathological complete responses. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were peripheral neuropathy (21) and asthenia (20).

Conclusion: TeFOX regimen could be safely administrated in perioperative treatment of localized GC. TeFOX and the FLOT regimen have comparable efficacy and safety profiles.