The international surgical journal with global reach

This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared with surgery alone for locally advanced cancer of the stomach and cardia: European Organisation for Research and Treatment for Cancer randomized trial 40954. J Clin Oncol 2010; 29: 5210–5218.

Published: 4th May 2011

Authors: Schuhmacher C, Gretschel S, Lordick F, Reichardt P, Hohenberger W, Elsenberger CF et al. et al.

Conclusion

The trial was stopped after accrual of 144 patients. After median follow up of 4.4 years, there was no survival benefit with chemotherapy (hazard ratio 0.84, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.52 to 1.35, P=0.466). Chemotherapy did reduce the number of lymph node metastases at operation, but also increased the risk of perioperative complications: 27 vs. 16 per cent, P=0.09.

Pubmed Link