Oxaliplatin in Gastric Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* ECOG performance status of 0-2.
* Histologically proven gastric or gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma.
* At least unidimensional measurable disease. If a unique metastasis constitutes the only disease sign, it requires histological confirmation.
* First line locally unresectable or metastatic gastric cancer.
* Relapsing gastric cancer after local and/or systemic treatment with a post-surgical period of at least 4 weeks, a post-adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy period of at least 6 months.
* Serum bilirubin \< 2 mg/dl
* Serum creatinine \< or = 2 mg/dl
* Hemoglobin \> or = 10 g/dl
* Absolute neutrophil count \> or = 2000/dl
* Platelet count \>or = 100, 000/dl
* AST/ALT \< or = 2.5 time-fold the institutional normal upper limit
* Alkaline phosphatase \< or = 5 time-fold the institutional normal upper limit
* Imagenological evaluation of the patient at least 2 weeks prior to the drug infusion
* Laboratory tests at least 1 week prior to the first infusion
* Patient available for follow up and able to answer to the quality of life questionnaire

Exclusion Criteria:

* Symptomatic sensorial peripheral neuropathy
* Uncontrolled concomitant disease
* Another malignant neoplastic disease diagnosed within the previous 5 years to the diagnosis of advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, with the exception of 'in situ' cervix carcinoma or non-melanoma skin cancer
* Concomitant antitumoral treatment
* Cerebral metastases
* Unstable heart disease, even though in treatment
* Myocardial infarction within the last 6 months
* Radiotherapy within the last 6 weeks, surgery within the last 4 weeks, or chemotherapy within the last 6 months.
* Pregnancy or nursing ( or women in reproductive life without adequate contraception)
* Significant neurological or psychiatric disorders.