[Clinical evaluation of effects and improvement in quality of life from palliative therapy of combination chemotherapy with Furtulon and consecutive low-dose cisplatin in cases of unresectable advanced gastrointestinal carcinoma].
Combination chemotherapy of Furtulon/low-dose cisplatin (CDDP) was administered to 13 patients with unresectable advanced gastrointestinal carcinoma (including 4 cases of gastric cancer, 6 of colorectal cancer, 1 of pancreatic cancer, 1 of hepatic cancer, and 1 of esophageal cancer). All patients were unresectable due to poor performance status (PS > 3) or metastasis. They were treated with Furtulon 1,200 mg/day orally on days 1-10 followed by 4 drug-free days, every 2 weeks, and CDDP 3.5 mg/m2/day, on days 1-5 by i.v. followed by 2 drug-free days every 4 weeks repeatedly. An average of 2-3 cycles were used. Six out of 13 patients had a partial response, 5 had no change, and 2 had progressive disease. The response rate was 46% and median survival time was 320 days. After chemotherapy, there was an increase in appetite and body weight in 11 patients (85%), and the patients maintained a good performance status and quality of life. Moreover no renal dysfunction occurred after treatment with CDDP. There was no high-grade toxicity over grade 2, only slight nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. From the present study, combination chemotherapy of Furtulon/low-dose CDDP seems to be effective for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer, and to have improved their quality of life (QOL).
Dept. of Chemotherapy, People's Hospital, Beijing University, China.
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F
Tong
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H
Liu
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Wang
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Yang
J
J
Gu
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X
Qiao
J
J
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005467:Floxuridine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005467:Floxuridine; D002945:Cisplatin; C025034:doxifluridine