title: Phase II study of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin in relapsed or metastatic colorectal cancer as second line therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of biweekly oxaliplatin in combination with leucovorin (LV)-modulated bolus plus infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in patients with relapsed or metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) as a second line therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2002 and October 2005, 26 patients with histologically confirmed relapsed or metastatic CRC were enrolled. All patients were previously treated with irinotecan-based combination chemotherapy. The chemotherapy regimen consisted of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2) on day 1; LV 200 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 2; and 5-FU 400 mg/m(2) bolus IV with 600 mg/m(2) with a 22-hour infusion on days 1 and 2 every 2 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the 26 patients was 50.5 years (range, 31 approximately 72). Their metastatic sites included: the liver (42.3%), peritoneum (26.9%), lung (23.1%) and ovary (7.7%). Twenty five patients were evaluated for their response. Four patients achieved partial responses and 15 patients had stable disease. The overall response rate was 16% (95% confidence interval; 1.7 approximately 30.3%). The median follow-up duration for the surviving patients was 7.4 months (range, 2.08 approximately 21.2). Median overall survival (OS) and 1-year OS rates were 16.7 months and 63.9%, respectively. The most common hematological toxicities were: NCI grade I/II leucopenia (49.3%), grade I/II neutropenia (41%) and grade I/II anemia (65.2%). The main non-hematological toxicities were: grade I/II peripheral neuropathy (16.1% and 21.5%, respectively) and nausea/vomiting (23.6%/18.5%). There was no life-threatening toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The oxaliplatin, 5-FU and LV combination chemotherapy, scheduled as a biweekly protocol, was effective and well tolerated in the treatment of relapsed or metastatic colorectal cancer patients as second line chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Duk-Joo
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho-Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jung-Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young-Yeul
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: In-Soon
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myung-Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ahn