title: Weekly irinotecan plus UFT and leucovorin as first-line chemotherapy of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
abstract: We evaluated the antitumoral efficacy and safety of CPT-11 125 mg/m2 (weekly 90 min i.v. infusion; days 1, 8 and 15) combined with UFT (oral combination of tegafur and uracil) 200 mg/m2/day plus leucovorin (LV) 45 mg/m2/day (both divided into three separate oral doses every 8 h, days 1-21) every 4 weeks as first-line chemotherapy of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Fifty-three patients > or =18 years old with histologically confirmed diagnosis of advanced CRC and bidimensionally measurable disease were enrolled. Three patients (6%) showed CR and 8 patients (15%) showed PR (ORR = 21% (95% CI, 10-32). Stable disease was reported in 19 patients (36%) [tumor control rate = 57% (95% CI, 43-70)]. The median time to progression and overall survival were 7.9 and 18.2 months, respectively (1-year rate = 74%; 2-years rate = 26%). CPT-11/UFT/LV treatment was well tolerated: the most reported grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (11% of patients) and delayed diarrhea (28% of patients). No significant differences in response rate, survival or toxicity were found between younger (< or =65 years) and older patients (> 65 years). Weekly CPT-11 plus UFT/LV was found effective and safe as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic CRC. The addition of CPT-11 to UFT/LV doubled the response rate compared to the results previously reported with UFT/LV, while myelosuppression remained low.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Méndez
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Alfonso
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castañon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cerezuela
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: López-Mateos
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cruz
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin; D002166:Camptothecin