[Efficacy and Safety of Paclitaxel plus Ramucirumab Therapy for Unresectable or Recurrent Gastric Cancer].

The RAINBOW trial showed that paclitaxel(PTX)plus ramucirumab(RAM)therapy improved the survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer, previously treated with chemotherapy. We retrospectively investigated 33 patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer who underwent PTX plus RAM treatment as second- or third-line chemotherapy between September 2015 and December 2017. The median age was 68(45-84)years with 22 patients(67%)aged 65 years or older. Seventeen patients had unresectable and 16 patients had recurrent gastric cancer. ECOG PS was 2 in 5 patients(16%). PTX plus RAM was administered as second-line therapy for 24 patients, and as third-line therapy for 9 patients. Best overall response was partial response(PR)in 4 patients, stable disease(SD)in 14 patients, and progressive disease(PD)in 9 patients. Response rate(RR)and disease control rate(DCR)were 14.8% and 66.7%, respectively. Grade 3/4 adverse events were observed in 28(85%)of(leucopenia·neutropenia[64%], neuropathy[9%], etc). Median follow-up period was 7.3(0.4- 22.4)months. Median OS and PFS were 9.3(0.4-22.4)months and 4.7(0.4-22.4)months, respectively. We conclude that PTX plus RAM therapy is useful for treating unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer. In clinical practice, we have many opportunities to provide PTX plus RAM therapy for patients of older age and poorer PS; careful attention to adverse events is essential in such cases.