Phase 2 Study of Comparison Between XELOX (Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin) and Docetaxel, Oxaliplatin and S1 Regimen as Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Patients With Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer

Patient selection

Patients with unresectable, histologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma with no distant metastases were eligible for the study. No-resectability was judged for technical reasons by a local multidisciplinary team, according to one of the following criteria:

1. radical resection was unable after laparotomy or laparoscopic exploration.
2. tumour invades adjacent structures such as the pancreas, liver, diaphragm, adrenal gland or transversa colon (T4b).
3. Para-aortic (LN)lymph node metastasis ≥1.0 cm between the upper margin of the celiac artery and the upper border of the inferior mesenteric artery(stations no. 16a2/16b1), and/or bulky lymph nodes (≥3 cm×1 or≥1.5 cm×2) along the celiac, splenic, common or proper hepatic arteries, or the superior mesenteric vein;

All the patients received endoscopic examination, contrast CT scan for abdomen and pelvic, chest X-ray, as well as physical examination.

The exclusion criteria included: (1)peritoneal metastasis confirmed by CT scan; (2) lung metastasis, liver metastasis, pleural effusion, and/or other distant metastasis; (3) serious uncontrolled comorbid conditions; (4)any local intervention after initial diagnosis, such as surgical procedures, radiotherapy or trans-artery chemo-embolization;(5) patients who could not comprehend or comply with the study were also ineligible.