AIM:To investigate feasibility,morbidity and surgical mortality of a docetaxel-based chemotherapy regimen randomly administered before or after gastrectomy in patients suffering from locally-advanced resectable gastric cancer.METHODS:Patients suffering from locally-advanced(T3-4 any N M0 or any T N1-3 M0)gastric carcinoma,staged with endoscopic ultrasound,bone scan,computed tomography,and laparoscopy,were assigned to receive four 21 d/cycles of TCF(docetaxel 75 mg/m 2 day 1,cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 day 1,and fluorouracil 300 mg/m 2 per day for days 1-14),either before(Arm A)or after(Arm B)gastrectomy.Operative morbidity,overall mortality,and severe adverse events were compared by intention-to-treat analysis.RESULTS:From November 1999 to November 2005,70 patients were treated.After preoperative TCF(Arm A),thirty-two(94%)resections were performed,85% of which were R0.Pathological response was complete in 4 patients(11.7%),and partial in 18(55%).No surgical mortality and 28.5%morbidity rate were observed,similar to those of immediate surgery arm(P= 0.86).Serious chemotherapy adverse events tended to be more frequent in arm B(23%vs 11%,P=0.07),with a single death per arm.CONCLUSION:Surgery following docetaxel-based chemotherapy was safe and with similar morbidity to immediate surgery in patients with locally-advanced resectable gastric carcinoma. To investigate feasibility, morbidity and surgical mortality of a docetaxel-based chemotherapy regimen randomly administered before or after gastrectomy in patients suffering from locally-advanced resectable gastric cancer. METHODS: Patients suffering from locally-advanced (T3-4 any N M0 or any T N1-3 M0) gastric carcinoma, staged with endoscopic ultrasound, bone scan, computed tomography, and laparoscopy, were assigned to receive four 21 d / cycles of TCF (docetaxel 75 mg / m 2 day 1, cisplatin 75 mg / m 2 days 1, and fluorouracil 300 mg / m 2 per day for days 1-14), either before (Arm A) or after (Arm B) gastrectomy.Operative morbidity, overall mortality, and severe adverse events were compared by intention-to -Treat analysis. RESULTS: From November 1999 to November 2005, 70 patients were treated. After preoperative TCF (Arm A), thirty-two (94%) resections were performed, 85% patients (11.7%), and partial in 18 (55%). No surgical mortality and 28.5% morbidity rate we Serious chemotherapy adverse events tended to be more frequent in arm B (23% vs 11%, P = 0.07), with a single death per arm. CONCLUSION: Surgery following docetaxel-based chemotherapy was safe and with similar morbidity to immediate surgery in patients with locally-advanced resectable gastric carcinoma.