Available options in chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: the current developments in Japan.

Although techniques for early diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer have been established, standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer has not. 5-Flourouracil (5-FU) plus cisplatin containing regimens, including 5-FU plus cisplatin, epirubicin plus cisplatin and 5-FU, and docetaxel plus cisplatin and 5-FU, are considered to be the most effective regimens for advanced gastric cancer in US, Europe and Korea. In Japan, oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 is currently considered to be the first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer. S-1-based combination therapies with other promising drugs, including cis-platin, irinotecan and taxanes, are expected to yield good results. Above all, S-1 plus cisplatin therapy showed high efficacy and expected to be a standard therapy for advanced gastric cancer. Further evaluation by well-controlled clinical trials is still required.