Table 1. Summary information of included RCTs.
| Studies | Demographic data | Intervention& control | Outcome measures | Jadad scores |
| Chu JH, et al [42]20061 center in China | 40 patients with recurrence or metastaticgastric carcinoma chemotherapy-naïvewithin 1 month. | DCF: docetaxel 25 mg/m2, cisplatin 35 mg/m2, 5-FU750 mg/m2.3–4 cycles.CF: cisplatin 20 mg/m2, 5-FU 1000 mg/m2. 3–4 cycles. | ORR, MST, TTP andtoxicities | 1 |
| Van Cutsem E, et al [43] 200672 centers in 16 countries. | 457 patients with metastaticor locally advanced/recurrentgastric cancer.12 patients without treatmentwere excluded. | DCF: docetaxel 75 mg/m2, cisplatin 75 mg/m2 and 5-FU750 mg/m2. Median6 (1–16) cycles. CF: cisplatin100 mg/m2 and 5-FU1000 mg/m2. Median 4 (1–12) cycles. | ORR,TTP, OS, toxicities and QOL | 2 |
| Sadighi S, et al [35]20061 center in Iran | 86 patients with primary or recurrent gastric cancer(III–IV stage). 15 patients did not completethe questionnaires andwere excluded in QOL analyses. | DCF: docetaxel 60 mg/m2, cisplatin 60 mg/m2 and 5-FU750 mg/m2. 3–6 cyclesECF: epirubicin 60 mg/m2, cisplatin 60 mg/m2 and 5-FU750 mg/m2. 3–6cycles. | ORR and QOL | 2 |
| Li XQ, et al [44]20071 center in China | 60 patients with stage IV gastric carcinoma. | DCF: docetaxel 25 mg/m2, cisplatin 6 mg/m2 and 5-FU200 mg/m2. 2 cycles.CF: cisplatin 6 mg/m2 and 5-FU 200 mg/m2. 2 cycles. | ORR, MST andtoxicities | 1 |
| Roth AD, et al [38]200713 centers in 4countries | 121 patients with unresectablegastric cancer,metastatic or locally carcinoma. 2 patients withouttreatment were excluded. | DCF: docetaxel 85 mg/m2, cisplatin 75 mg/m2, and5-FU300 mg/m2. Median 4 cycles.ECF: epirubicin 50 mg/m2, cisplatin 60 mg/m2, 5-FU 200 mg/m2.Median 5.5 cycles. | ORR, OS, toxicitiesand QOL | 2 |
| Wu GC, et al [45]20081 center in China | 58 patients with stage III–IV gastriccarcinoma received first orsecondary treatment. | DCF: docetaxel 75 mg/m2, cisplatin 75 mg/m2, 5-FU 750 mg/m2.2 cycles.CF: cisplatin 75 m/m2, 5-FU 750 mg/m2. 2 cycles | ORR, MST, andtoxicities | 1 |
| Zhang FL, et al [46]20081 center in China | 50 chemotherapy-naive patients with localrecurrence or metastatic carcinoma. | DCF: docetaxel 75 mg/m2, cisplatin 25 mg/m2, 5-FU 500 mg/m2. More than2 cycles.CF: cisplatin 25 m/m2, 5-FU 500 mg/m2.More than 2 cycles. | ORR and Toxicities | 2 |
| Hou AJ, et al [47]20091 center in China | 40 patients with stage IIIB–IV after gastrectomy orpalliative surgery. 4 patients could not be evaluated. | DCF: docetaxel 40 mg/m2, cisplatin 30 mg/m2 and 5-FU 200 mg/m2.More than 2 cycles.ELF: etoposide 120 mg/m2, 5-FU 500 mg/m2. More than 2 cycles. | ORR, OS, MST andQOL | 3 |
| Zhao F, et al [48]20091 center in China | 31 gastric cancer patients in DCF arm and32 in FOLFOX4 arm with recurrenceafter radical gastrectomy or withoutsurgery because ofmetastasis. | DCF: docetaxel 75 mg/m2, cisplatin 20 mg/m2 and 5-FU 350 mg/m2. Median 3.1 cycles.FOLFOX4: oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 and5-FU 400 mg/m2.Median 3.2 cycles. | ORR, TTP and MST | 1 |
| Shen YC, et al [49]20091 center in China. | 48 chemotherapy-naive patients with late stage gastric carcinoma after noor palliative surgery. | DCF: docetaxel 35 mg/m2, cisplatin 6 mg/m2 and 5-FU250 mg/m2. 3–4 cyclesCF: cisplatin 75 mg/m2 and 5-FU 1000 mg/m2. 3–4 cycles | ORR, TTP andtoxicities | 1 |
| Liang B, et al [50]20101 center in China | 58 patients in DCF arm and control armwith advanced gastric cancer expectedto survive more than3 months. | DCF: docetaxel 75 mg/m2, cisplatin 75 mg/m2 and 5-FU 300 mg/m2.More than 2 cycles.ECF: epirubicin 50 mg/m2, cisplatin 60 mg/m2, 5-FU 200 mg/m2. Morethan 2 cycles. | ORR and toxicities | 1 |
| Gao H, et al [51]20101 center in China | 64 patients with stage IIIB–IV gastric carcinoma. | DCF: docetaxel 60 mg/m2, cisplatin 25 mg/m2, 5-FU 1000 mg/m2. More than 2 cycles.ECF: epirubicin 50 mg/m2, cisplatin 25 mg/m2, 5-FU 1000 mg/m2. Morethan 2 cycles. | ORR, OS and QOL | 3 |
Abbreviations: DCF: docetaxel, cisplatin and fluorouracil; CF: cisplatin and fluorouracil; ECF: epirubicin, cisplatin and fluorouracil; FOLFOX4: oxaliplatin and fluorouracil; EF: etoposide and fluorouracil; FU: fluorouracil; ORR: overall response rate; TTP: time to progression; QOL: quality of life; MST: median survival time; OS: overall survival.