Since docetaxel and S-1 have been suggested to show some antiangiogenic activity (Hironaka et al, 2002; Hotchkiss et al, 2002) and a rather rapid disappearance of lesions was observed in four downstaged patients, we examined the possible correlation between downstaging (marked therapeutic effect) and VEGF expression in the tumour tissues by immunohistochemical staining. Here, VEGFA is linked to neoplasm.