title: [Assessment of quality of life by questionnaires between S-1/CPT-11 and mFOLFOX6 in patients with advanced colorectal cancer].
abstract: Injectable combination chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/Leucovorin (LV), oxaliplatin (OHP), and irinotecan (CPT-11) has been a standard treatment for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). An oral fluoropyrimidine, S-1 (tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil), has been developed recently, and a combination of S-1/CPT-11 demonstrated effects comparable to FOLFIRI for the treatment of advanced CRC. Being without continuous infusion lasting for days, combination chemotherapy with oral fluoropyrimidine may limit inconvenience and improve the quality of life (QOL) of patients. There have been few studies evaluating chemotherapy with oral fluoropyrimidine in terms of patient QOL and convenience.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the patients' QOL by questionnaire, comparing experiences of those treated with S-1/CPT-11 to those treated with mFOLFOX6 in patients with advanced CRC. The questionnaire, selected from EORTC QLQ, FACT-G, and FACT/GOG-Ntx, consisted of six categories: moving activity, willingness, pain and numbness, gastrointestinal symptoms, daily life, and convenience. The questionnaire had 5 questions in each category and a total of 30 questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' background and characteristics were similar. No significant difference was observed in response rates and time to progression between the groups. As for adverse effects, there was a case of fatigue (grade 2), five cases of neurotoxicites (grade 1 and 2) in mFOL-FOX6, and a case of diarrhea (grade 3) in S-1/CPT-11. No difference between the two groups was observed in responses to the questionnaire asking about moving activity, willingness, gastrointestinal symptoms, and daily life. As for neurotoxicity and convenience, however, S-1/CPT-11 showed significantly better results than mFOLFOX6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that questionnaires are useful for assessing patients' QOL with advanced CRC treated chemotherapy. Combination chemotherapy with oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 could provide similar response rates, limit inconvenience, and improve QOL.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery, Osaka North Japan Post Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsueda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010094:Oxonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; C079198:S 1 (combination); D005641:Tegafur; D010094:Oxonic Acid; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin