Complete response obtained with first-line therapy as S-1, followed by second-line 5′-DFUR plus paclitaxel therapy in a patient with multiple liver and lymphnode metastases from gastric cancer

A 82-year-old man with advanced gastric cancer underwent distal gastrectomy in January 2006. The histological diagnosis was poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma, T2 (MP), pN2, sH0, sP0, CY0; fStage IIIA. Three months after the operation, two metastatic nodules were noticed on the liver. The patient was treated with S-1 in April 2006. After the 8 courses of S-1 treatment, a complete response was achieved. However, a lymphnode metastasis was newly found adjacent to the remnant stomach 2 months after the complete response to S-1. 5′ -DFUR+paclitaxel combination therapy was then performed. After the 2 courses, the metastatic lymphnode completely disappeared. We continued a total of 18 courses of the 5′ -DFUR+paclitaxel therapy approximately for 1 year without critical drug toxicity. The patient has been alive without any recurrent site. Thus 5′ -DFUR+paclitaxel as a second-line therapy following S-1 should be recommended for a gastric cancer patient with a recurrent tumor.