Effective use of TS-1 in a case of advanced gastric cancer, both in treating the tumor and in maintaining the patient's quality of life

A 60-year-old man was admitted to our hospital suffering from discomfort in the epigastrium. Endoscopic examination revealed stenosis from the fornix to the body of the stomach. The lesion had invaded the lower esophagus. Biopsy specimens confirmed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. An abdominal CT scan showed the lesion was a single mass in the stomach and swollen lymph nodes at the fornix, and revealed slight ascites and left hydronephrosis. The patient received oral administration of TS-1. No adverse effect was seen after 3 courses of treatment, and the lesion was reduced so that it was only found in the fornix. During the 1 year and 3 months of treatment with TS-1, this patient worked as mountain guide in the Hida area and was able to travel to the Himalayas in Nepal for the New Year of 2001. To preserve the quality of life of cancer patients, it is worth considering outpatient treatment with TS-1.