title: Response of the primary tumor in symptomatic and asymptomatic stage IV colorectal cancer to combined interventional endoscopy and palliative chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of the primary tumor in advanced metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is still a matter of discussion. Little attention has thus far been paid to the endoscopically observable changes of the primary in non-curatively resectable stage IV disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 patients [14 men, 6 women, median age 67 (39-82) years] were observed after initial diagnosis of non-curatively resectable metastasized symptomatic (83%) or asymptomatic (17%) CRC, from June 2002 to April 2009. If necessary, endoscopic tumor debulking was performed. 5-FU based chemotherapy was given immediately thereafter. In 10 patients, chemotherapy was combined with antibody therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response of the primary was observed in all patients. Local symptoms were treated endoscopically whenever necessary (obstruction or bleeding), and further improved after chemotherapy was started: Four patients showed initial complete endoscopic disappearance of the primary. In an additional 6 patients, only adenomatous tissue was histologically detected. In both these groups, two patients revealed local tumor relapse after interruption of therapy. Local tumor regression or stable disease was achieved in the remaining 10 patients. 15 patients died during the observation time. In 13 cases, death was related to metastatic disease progression. The mean overall survival time was 19.6 (3-71) months. No complications due to the primary were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that modern anti-cancer drugs combined with endoscopic therapy are an effective and safe treatment of the symptomatic primary and ameliorate local complaints without the need for surgical intervention in advanced UICC stage IV CRC.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, University Clinic of Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany. silke.cameron@med.uni-goettingen.de
authors: Silke
authors: S
authors: Cameron
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: Hünerbein
authors: Tümen
authors: T
authors: Mansuroglu
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Armbrust
authors: Jens-Gerd
authors: JG
authors: Scharf
authors: Harald
authors: H
authors: Schwörer
authors: László
authors: L
authors: Füzesi
authors: Giuliano
authors: G
authors: Ramadori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D018450:Disease Progression; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010166:Palliative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents