title: Etoposide, leucovorin (LV) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in 5-FU+LV pre-treated patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
abstract: In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of the weekly combination of etoposide, leucovorin (LV) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) when administered as second-line chemotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory advanced colorectal cancer (ACC), previously treated with weekly LV+5-FU. Etoposide was administered at 3 different dose levels (DLs), in 3 groups of 20 patients each (total: 60); DL-I: etoposide 80 mg/m2, DL-II: etoposide 120 mg/m2, and DL-III: etoposide 180 mg/m2, in 45 min i.v. infusion, and followed in all levels by LV 100 mg/m2 i.v. over 1 hour and 5-FU 500 mg/m2 i.v. bolus. Treatment was administered weekly until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. No patients at DL-I responded, while 2 patients at DL-II and 3 at DL-III had a partial response (PR). Stable disease (SD) rates were as follows; at DL-I: 2, DL-II: 8 and DL-III: 9. More patients in DL-I progressed (n = 19) compared to DL-II (n=10) and DL-II (n = 8) (p < 0.0007). Time to progression was for DL-I, -II, -III: 17, 15, and 14 weeks, respectively. Median survival was DL-I, -II, -III: 30, 30, and 32.5 weeks, respectively. Toxicity consisted mainly of neutropenia, diarrhea and mucositis at all DLs, and was significantly more severe in DL-III. No difference was noted in responses between DL-II and DL-III. The authors conclude that the combination of etoposide with LV+5-FU has limited activity when administered after failure of weekly LV+5-FU in patients with ACC and should not be recommended for further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, University of Athens, School of Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, Greece. tsavari1@otenet.gr
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsavaris
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kosmas
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gennatas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vadiaka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skopelitis
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Xila
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rokana
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Margaris
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zografos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papastratis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kouraklis
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012449:Safety; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil