title: Capecitabine and mitomycin C may be an effective treatment option for third-line chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the activity in terms of time to progression (TTP) of mitomycin C and capecitabine in patients with advanced colorectal cancer who progressed after 2 lines of chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with advanced colorectal cancer undergoing third-line chemotherapy after failure of 5-FU with CPT-11 or oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimens were treated with capecitabine and mitomycin C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-one patients were enrolled in this study. The median age was 55 years (range, 26-78 years) and the male:female ratio 21:40. We observed partial remissions in 5 patients (8%), stable disease in 25 patients (40%) and progression of disease in 31 patients (52%). Median TTP was 3 months and median survival was 6 months. Global toxicity was mild and entirely acceptable. Grade 3-4 hematological toxicity occurred in 12 patients and grade 3-4 nonhematological toxicity in 5 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of capecitabine and mitomycin C could represent an effective and manageable treatment option for colorectal cancer patients failing previous chemotherapy regimens.
authors.affiliation: Clinica di Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scartozzi
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falcone
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braconi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pierantoni
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cavanna
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Franciosi
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berardi
authors.forename: Giordano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beretta
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masi
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allegrini
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaniboni
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Labianca
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cascinu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016685:Mitomycin; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil