title: Australian experience of a modified schedule of FOLFOX with high activity and tolerability and improved convenience in untreated metastatic colorectal cancer patients.
abstract: This study determined the efficacy and safety of a modified FOLFOX regimen that improved patient convenience without compromising oxaliplatin dose intensity. A total of 62 patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer were enrolled to receive, entirely as outpatients, 2-weekly cycles of oxaliplatin 100 mg m(-2) i.v. over 2 h, together with leucovorin 400 mg m(-2) over 2 h, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 400 mg m(-2), bolus, followed by a 46-h infusion of 5-FU at 2.4 g m(-2). Treatment was given until progression or unmanageable toxicity. In all, 61 patients received > or =one oxaliplatin dose and a median of 11 treatment cycles (range 1-20 cycles); 22 (36%) reported grade 3/4 neutropenia and 13 patients (21%) experienced grade 3 neurotoxicity; 16 patients (26%) discontinued treatment due to disease progression or death, 15 (25%) due to neurotoxicity and six (10%) due to haematological toxicity. Of the 56 eligible patients, complete or partial responses were observed in 29 or 52% (95% confidence interval 38-65%). Median progression-free survival was 8.2 months (7.1-9.9) and median overall survival was 18.7 months (14.0-23.4). In our experience, a modified schedule of FOLFOX improves convenience without compromising efficacy or toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia. d.goldstein@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beale
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedlander
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zalcberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil