The safety and efficacy of fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel (FLOT) combination in the front-line treatment for patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma: phase II trial

Combination therapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-FU has been shown to increase time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) for patients with advanced gastric cancer; this regimen is limited by significant toxicity, including complicated neutropenia. This study was designed to incorporate docetaxel into a tolerable biweekly (once every 2 weeks) oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen. Patients with measurable advanced and metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal cancer, aged >18 years, and with ECOG two or less, received oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2, docetaxel 50 mg/m2 on day 1, leucovorin 200 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2, and 5-FU 1,200 mg/m2 24-h infusion on days 1 and 2 of every 2-week cycle. Toxic effects were graded according to NCI-CTC version 3. Responses were classified according to World Health Organization criteria. Fifty patients were included, 47 assessed for efficacy and toxicity. Median age was 55 years. The majority had metastatic disease (72 %). The over all response was observed in 55.3 % patients. Median TTP and OS were 6 and 10 months, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 hematological toxic effects were included neutropenia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia observed in 21 (44.7 %), 12 (25.5 %), and 1 (2.1 %) patients, respectively. Non-hematological were diarrhea (14.9 %), fatigue (12.7 %), and peripheral neuropathy (8.5 %). Complicated neutropenia (febrile neutropenia associated with infection) was observed in one (2.1 %) patient only. Biweekly FLOT regimen has tolerable toxicity, and efficacy in line with that of DCF protocol. The FLOT regimen needs more evaluation to be considered as alternative to DCF.