The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer

Abstract

The purpose of the study was a systemic literature review on data regarding the efficacy, safety and prospects for the use of adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer. Material and Methods. The study contained a thorough literary analysis of the results of international studies on the use of preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer. Relevant sources were searched in Medlin and Cochrane Library databases, and publications from 2001 to 2019 were included. Of all the studies analyzed, 28 were used to write the systematic review. Results. The increase in survival rates was mainly achieved due to the use of a multimodal approach to the treatment of gastric cancer. The effectiveness of this approach, which combined surgery with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, was proven in several large clinical studies. However, despite the large number of treatment options for locally advanced gastric cancer, there is still no single standard for the management of patients with this disease. One of the treatment options successfully practiced in a number of leading countries is the use of adjuvant chemo/chemoradiation therapy. Conclusion. Analysis of the literature data of the last 18 years has shown the high relevance of studies on adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer and the need to continue further study of this problem.