Randomised Phase III Trial of First Line Intraperitoneal Paclitaxel and Systemic Therapy Versus Systemic Therapy Alone in Gastric Cancer Patients With Peritoneal Metastases - IPa-Gastric
The most common site for gastric cancer distant metastases is the peritoneum. Median survival for this group of patients is short and systemic cytotoxic treatment response is poor, partly due to the low uptake of the treatment compounds to the peritoneum during systemic chemotherapy. Infusion of cytotoxic drugs directly into the abdominal cavity has been shown to have a high objective response rate and low toxicity. The IPa-Gastric trial is an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase-III study in the first line setting in gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastases. Patients will receive the study treatments until disease progression, unacceptable side effects, the investigator's decision to end treatment for other reasons, death, or end of study. After discontinuing study treatments, each patient will be followed up for all study endpoints that are clinically feasible, until death or end of study. The primary objective is to compare overall survival (OS) for patients randomised to intraperitoneal (IP) paclitaxel and standard ST versus those randomised to standard ST only.
• Gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction Siewert type II or III adenocarcinoma verified by biopsy or cytology from the primary tumour
• Peritoneal metastasis verified by biopsy, or cytology from ascites or peritoneal wash fluid
• Staging laparoscopy with assessment of peritoneal cancer index (PCI) performed less than four weeks before enrolment.
• Patients with tumour positive cytology (CYT+) without clinically manifest peritoneal metastases at baseline (PCI 0) staging laparoscopy can be included if they persist to be CYT+ after at least four cycles of systemic chemotherapy.
• Adequate hematology assessment and serum chemistry
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1.
• Age of at least 18 years
• Life expectancy of at least three months
• Assurance that adequate anti-reproductive measures will be taken during study interventions when applicable