Clinical significance of intraperitoneal paclitaxel combined with systemic chemotherapy for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis

Background Despite investigations of intraperitoneal paclitaxel as a personalized treatment for peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer, few studies have evaluated its prognostic impact on conversion surgery for unresectable gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis. Our study aimed to close this gap in knowledge. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 128 patients who underwent chemotherapy for peritoneal metastasis from gastric cancer and assigned them into intraperitoneal (IP) ( n = 36) and non-IP ( n = 92) groups, based on the use of intraperitoneal paclitaxel plus systemic chemotherapy. Results Disease control rates were 94% and 69% in the IP and non-IP groups, respectively, with the former having a significantly higher tumor response rate than the latter ( p