A trial looking at docetaxel chemotherapy for advanced cancer of the stomach, the oesophagus or the junction of the stomach and oesophagus (COUGAR-02)

This was a trial to find out how well the chemotherapy drug docetaxel worked for stomach cancer or oesophageal cancer that had come back after treatment. The trial was supported by Cancer Research UK.

Doctors often treat stomach or oesophageal cancer with chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and 5FU. But unfortunately the cancer often continues to grow, or comes back soon after finishing treatment. Doctors were not sure what the best treatment was for people in this situation.

In this trial, they looked at a drug called docetaxel. Doctors already use docetaxel to treat other types of cancer. Early studies had shown that it might help people with advanced stomach or oesophageal cancer.

The people taking part had either

• Treatment for symptoms

• Treatment for symptoms and docetaxel

The aim of the trial was to find out which was better for people with advanced stomach or oesophageal cancer that had come back within 6 months of having chemotherapy.