Irinotecan as 3rd Line Therapy in Gastric Cancer

A Phase II Study of Irinotecan as Single Agent in the Third Line Treatment of Unresectable or Metastatic Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in China. Most patients are unresectable or metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Systemic therapy was required for the patients with advanced stage. Platinum combined with fluoropyrimidines always were considered as first line treatment. After failure of initial therapy, single agent of taxanes was used as second line treatment. However, there is no relative standard chemotherapeutic regimen in the third therapy except oral anti-angiogenesis drug-Apatinib. So this study was designed to explore the role of single agent with irinotecan as third line treatment in patients with metastatic gastric cancer in China.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histologically confirmed advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the stomach
• Have failed for 2 lines of chemotherapy
• Life expectancy of more than 3 months
• ECOG performance scale ≤ 2
• At least one measurable lesion (larger than 10 mm in diameter by spiral CT scan)
• Duration from the last therapy is more than 6 weeks for nitroso or mitomycin
• More than 4 weeks for operation or radiotherapy
• More than 4 weeks for cytotoxic agents or growth inhibitors
• Adequate hepatic, renal, heart, and hematologic functions (platelets > 100 × 109/L, neutrophil > 1.5× 109/L, serum creatinine ≤ 1×upper limit of normal(ULN), total bilirubin within 1× ULN, and serum transaminase≤2.5×the ULN).
• Exclusion of pregnant or lactating women

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previously receiving irinotecan treatment
• Participated other clinical trials within 4 weeks
• Known Gilbert Syndrome or other biliary tract obstructive disease
• History of other malignancies except cured basal cell carcinoma of skin and carcinoma in-situ of uterine cervix
• Evidence of CNS metastasis
• Intercurrence with one of the following: hypertension, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia and heart failure
• Receiving the therapy of thrombolysis or anticoagulation
• Disability of serious uncontrolled intercurrence infection.
• Uncontrolled pleural effusion and ascites