Current Status of Chemotherapy for Gastric Cancer Patients in Korea - A Nationwide Survey -

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Abstract

Purpose
This nationwide survey was conducted to evaluate the current status of chemotherapy for gastric cancer patients in Korea. METHODS: The Information Committee of the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) sent questionnaires containing 23 items about the personal policy and clinical practice of chemotherapy for gastric cancer patients to all 402 KGCA members in 110 institutes.
RESULTS
The response rates were 20.1% (81/402) and 51.8% (57/110) for individuals and institutes, respectively. Eighty-five percent of responders were surgeons (69/81) and 15% were physicians (12/81). 76.8% (53/69) of surgeons and 33.3% (4/12) of physicians performed postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The FP regimen (5-FU plus cisplatin) and an oral 5-FU single regimen were found to be the most commonly used adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens, which comprised of 35.8% (38/106) and 30.2% (32/106). For the personal attitude regarding the role of adjuvant chemotherapy, 55.8% (43/77) of responders had the opinion that adjuvant chemotherapy can reduce the postoperative recurrence, and 44.2% (34/77) had the opinion that the role of adjuvant chemotherapy should be confirmed by a prospective randomized trial, respectively.
Conclusion
5-FU and cisplatin were the most commonly used adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents for gastric cancer patients in Korea. Many doctors had the opinion that the role of adjuvant chemotherapy should be confirmed by prospective randomized trials.