title: 5-Fluorouracil and high-dose calcium leucovorin for hepatocellular carcinoma: a phase II trial.
abstract: A phase II trial of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) [250-450 mg/m2/day x 5 days as an intravenous (IV) bolus] combined with calcium leucovorin (500 mg/m2/day x 5 1/2 days by continuous IV infusion) administered on a 28-day schedule was performed in 15 patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. The median age was 58 years; performance status ranged from 50 to 100%. Of 15 evaluable patients, 1 (7%) had a partial response lasting 2.4 months; 8 (53%) had stable disease with a median duration of 5.7 months; and 6 (40%) had progressive disease with a median time to progression of 2.7 months. Median survival was 3.8 months. Treatment with 5-FU and calcium leucovorin was moderately well tolerated; 9% of the treatment courses were complicated by grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicity, and 10% of the courses were complicated by grade 3 or 4 gastrointestinal toxicity. Despite the efficacy of the combination of 5-FU and leucovorin in advanced colorectal cancer, our results document the general resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma to modulated 5-FU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tetef
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doroshow
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coluzzi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Margolin
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raschko
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Somlo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil