title: CPT-11 (irinotecan) in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
abstract: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the Western World. Although 50% of patients are cured by surgery alone, the outcome is poor in high-risk patients (Dukes stages B2 and C) despite adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based regimens. CPT-11 (irinotecan) is a promising new agent for the treatment of colorectal cancer with a unique mechanism of action. CPT-11 is a DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor, which has not demonstrated susceptibility to the P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug-resistant phenotype. Phase II studies with CPT-11 have demonstrated definite activity against colorectal cancer in both chemotherapy-naive and pretreated patients (response rates of 15-32% observed) even with clinical evidence of resistance to 5-FU. The response rate appears to be consistent, reproducible and equivalent to that achieved with 5-FU plus folinic acid in chemotherapy-naive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Armand
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ducreux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahjoubi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abigerges
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bugat
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chabot
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herait
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Forni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rougier
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002166:Camptothecin