title: Biweekly cetuximab and irinotecan as third-line therapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer after failure to irinotecan, oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Standard weekly cetuximab and irinotecan (CetIri) is an effective regimen in heavily pretreated patients with advanced colorectal cancer (ACRC). Inspired by a pharmacokinetic study demonstrating no differences between weekly and biweekly cetuximab, we present the results of 74 consecutive patients treated with biweekly CetIri.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biweekly CetIri schedule: cetuximab 500 mg/m(2), first course was given as a 120-min infusion followed 1 h later by irinotecan 180 mg/m(2) as a 30-min infusion. Subsequent courses of cetuximab were given in 60 min, immediately followed by irinotecan-resulting in an overall treatment time of 90 min.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had ACRC resistant to 5-fluorouracil and irinotecan and 95% to oxaliplatin. Median age was 63 years, median performance status was 0. Median duration of therapy was 4.3 months. Response rate was 25%. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 5.4 months and 8.9 months, respectively, comparable to own historical controls receiving weekly CetIri. Grade 3-4 toxicity was rare (skin 7%, nail 3%, diarrhoea 10%, fatigue 3%, neutropenia 9%). One patient experienced severe allergic reaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salvage therapy with simplified biweekly CetIri is a convenient, effective and well-tolerated regimen in heavily pretreated patients with ACRC. A confirmatory phase II study is ongoing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital, Odense C, Denmark. Per.Pfeiffer@ouh.regionsyddanmark.dk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bjerregaard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qvortrup
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000068818:Cetuximab; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D000077146:Irinotecan; D000068818:Cetuximab; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin