title: Response of colo-rectal hepatic metastases to concomitant radiotherapy and intravenous infusion 5 fluorouracil.
abstract: Twenty-three patients with colo-rectal hepatic metastases were retrospectively reviewed after completing treatment with split course liver irradiation and continually infused concomitant intravenous 5-fluorouracil. Although no patient attained a complete response, an objective partial response was documented in 15 (Responders). The Responders had a median survival of 45 weeks whereas Non-responders had a median survival of 17 weeks. Patients with metastatic disease solely in the liver or those with a Karnofsky performance score (k.p.s) of over sixty, had a median survival of 49 weeks. Patients with multiple organ metastatic involvement had a median survival of 25 weeks and those with a Karnofsky with less than 60 had a median survival of 27 weeks. (p values of 0.006 and 0.03, respectively.) The overall survival of the group completing treatment was 30 weeks, and 19 patients (83%) achieved subjective palliation. The patients tolerated therapy well. There was minimal hematological toxicity; 3 patients developed a leucocyte count of less than 2000 and 1 developed a platelet count of 30,000. The palliation and prolongation of survival attained with minimal complications suggest that adjuvant liver irradiation with concomitant infusion 5-fluorouracil radiosensitization may be an option to offer patients identified to be at high risk of developing subclinical liver disease.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008099:Liver / Q000528:radiation effects; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D005472:Fluorouracil