Single-agent irinotecan for recurrent/metastatic colorectal cancer: a retrospective analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy, toxicity and factors affecting the survival rate of patients treated with irinotecan.


METHODS
Data from the medical records of 74 patients who had recurrent/metastatic colorectal cancer treated with single-agent irinotecan were analyzed.


RESULTS
The mean age for all the patients was 56 years (range 19-77). Forty-one (55%) and 33 (45%) patients had recurrent and/or metastatic colon cancer, respectively. All the patients were treated with irinotecan 350 mg/m(2) every 21 days. Grade 3-4 emesis, grade 3-4 diarrhea, grade 3-4 neutropenia and severe early cholinergic events developed in 7, 15, 7 and 1.3% of patients, respectively. One patient died due to acute renal failure. The overall response rate was 14% (complete response 5%, partial response 9%); 61% had stable response while another 25% had progressive disease. Patients with multiple metastatic foci, patients < or =50 years of age and patients with peritonitis carcinomatosa were shown to have worse outcomes than others. The median duration of response was 16.7 months. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 4 and 14 months, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The data show that irinotecan was useful in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic colorectal cancer with acceptable toxicity.
Sanli
Ulus A
UA
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova/Izmir, Turkey. ulusali@med.ege.edu.tr
Karabulut
Bulent
B
Uslu
Ruchan
R
Korkut
Mustafa
M
Goker
Erdem
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002166:Camptothecin