Oral Xeloda (capecitabine), in its first ever Phase III trial as first-line treatment for gastric cancer was found to be at least as effective and safe in achieving progression-free survival as the current standard of care for gastric cancer: intravenous 5-fluorouracil (IV 5-FU) plus cisplatin (FP).
The study found oral Xeloda (capecitabine) to have higher overall response rates. The results were presented at the 42nd Annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA.
"Patients diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer have a poor prognosis and treatment can be very cumbersome," said Howard Burris, MD, Sarah Cannon Research Institute.
"With the combination of Xeloda and cisplatin, we're seeing the promise of a treatment option that is as effective as standard therapy, well-tolerated and has the added benefit of reducing the amount of time needed for treatment at a clinic or hospital, which may help some patients continue to spend valuable time with family and friends."
The second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, gastric (or stomach) cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer.
Read more at Roche Newsroom.
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