Oxaliplatin in combination with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin or capecitabine in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
We evaluated the outcome of 140 patients aged > or = 70 years of age who received first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer within the German phase III trial of FUFOX (5-fluorouracil/leucovorin/oxaliplatin) versus CAPOX (capecitabine/oxaliplatin).


METHODS
One hundred forty (30%) elderly patients of 476 total patients were identified, and 138 patients received the CAPOX or FUFOX treatment.


RESULTS
Overall, treatment was well tolerated, and grade 3/4 toxicities were similar in both groups, with more gastrointestinal side effects in the elderly group but less neurosensory side effects. The response rate (RR) was comparable between both cohorts (49% in elderly patients vs. 52% in patients aged < 70 years). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.7 months for patients aged > or = 70 years and 7.5 months for patients aged < 70 years (hazard ratio [HR], 1.07; 95% CI, 0.86-1.34). With regard to the chemotherapy regimen, there was no inferiority between FUFOX and CAPOX in patients aged > or = 70 years (7.9 months vs. 7.6 months). The median overall survival (OS) between FUFOX and CAPOX was comparable in patients aged > or = 70 years (14.4 months vs. 14.2 months). However, when compared with patients aged < 70 years, the median OS was significantly shorter (18.8 months vs. 14.4 months; P = 0.013; HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.07-1.76). This was consistent with our multivariate analysis, which revealed that age > or = 70 years was a negative factor for OS.


CONCLUSIONS
Oxaliplatin combined with 5-FU/leucovorin or capecitabine was generally well tolerated in elderly patients. Elderly patients had similar PFS and overall RRs compared with the population aged < 70 years, but the OS was shorter.
Arkenau
Hendrik-Tobias
HT
Hospital Bremen East, Germany.
Graeven
Ullrich
U
Kubicka
Stephan
S
Grothey
Axel
A
Englisch-Fritz
Christina
C
Kretzschmar
Albrecht
A
Greil
Richard
R
Freier
Werner
W
Seufferlein
Thomas
T
Hinke
Axel
A
Schmoll
Hans-Joachim
HJ
Schmiegel
Wolff
W
Porschen
Rainer
R
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D015996:Survival Rate
D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil