title: Continuous systemic 5-fluorouracil infusion in advanced colorectal cancer: results in 91 patients.
abstract: Ninety-one patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were treated with continuous ambulatory 5-fluorouracil (5FU) infusion 250-300 mg/m2/day through a chronic indwelling central venous catheter. Twenty-six of the 91 patients (29%) had received previous bolus 5FU. Fifty-eight of the 91 patients (64%) had two or more sites of disease, and 74 of 91 patients (81%) had liver metastases. Results were complete remission in 5 of 91 (6%), partial remission in 25 of 91 (27%), stable disease in 33 of 91 (36%), and progressive disease in 28 of 91 (31%), for an overall response rate of 30 of 91 (33%); median duration of response was 7 months. Twenty-six of 65 previously untreated patients (40%) experienced objective response. Median survival from initiation of treatment for all patients was 11 months. Forty-one percent of patients experienced no significant toxicity and were able to continue therapy without treatment interruption. Toxicities necessitating treatment interruption included stomatitis in 35 patients (39%), hand-foot syndrome in 33 patients (36%), and diarrhea in 10 patients (11%). No significant myelosuppression or serious catheter-related complications were encountered. We conclude that continuous systemic venous infusion of 5FU produces a higher response rate than traditional bolus 5FU schedules, with apparent enhancement of survival and easily managed toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quebbeman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ausman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ritch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beatty
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D005472:Fluorouracil