title: [Capecitabine].
abstract: Capecitabine, an oral fluoropyrimidine carbamate, is adopted worldwide. As the treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer, capecitabine showed at least comparable efficacy with a favorable safety profile to bolus 5-FU/LV. In a large phase III trial (Xeloda Adjuvant Chemotherapy Trial: X-ACT), as the adjuvant treatment of patients with resected stage III colon cancer, capecitabine showed at least comparable disease-free survival, overall survival, and relapse-free survival with a favorable safety profile to bolus 5-FU/LV. Additionally, capecitabine-based combination regimens with oxaliplatin or irinotecan are now under evaluation. In phase II studies, capecitabine has shown the promising results in combination therapy. In Japan, capecitabine has been evaluated since 1994. In a recent phase II study, which evaluated the global dose as first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer, the response rate was 35% (95% CI 23.1-48.4). The median time to disease progression was 169 days and the median overall survival was 617 days. Hand-foot syndrome (HFS), a characteristic adverse event of capecitabine, was observed in 73.3% of the patients, but the grade 3/4 was observed in 13.3% of the patients and only one patient discontinued the treatment due to HFS. An immediate approval of capecitabine in Japan is expected.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Gastroenterology, Saitama Cancer Center Hospital.
authors.forename: Kensei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Tomotaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimamura
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tada
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069287:Capecitabine; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil