The efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is different for type 4 and large type 3 gastric cancer

Background: In the JCOG0501 study, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) failed to demonstrate survival benefits for type 4 and large type 3 gastric cancer (GC). The prognosis of these patients is still poor. We conducted this study to explore the value of NAC with non-SP regimens for type 4 and large type 3 GC in the Chinese population. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from our electronic medical record system. Patients with large type 3 or type 4 GC who underwent D2 gastrectomy and AC were included. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received NAC: the CSC (NAC + surgery + AC) and SC (surgery + AC) groups. The survival and perioperative outcomes for large type 3 or type 4 GC were analyzed between the CSC and SC groups, separately. Results: Between May 2009 and December 2018, 189 patients were reviewed. Among large type 3 GC, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for patients in the CSC and SC groups were 54.4 % and 28.0 %, respectively (P = 0.0008). Among type 4 GC, the 5-year OS rates for patients in the CSC and SC groups were 15.8 % and 24.8 %, respectively (P > 0.05). Conclusions: This study showed NAC can improve the prognosis of large type 3 GC. However, NAC did not demonstrate significant survival advantages for type 4 GC.