title: Raltitrexed-based chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficiency and safety profile of raltitrexed-based chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic search was undertaken to identify randomized controlled trials comparing raltitrexed-based regimen to 5-fluorouracil-based regimen in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The outcomes included overall survival, overall response rate and toxicities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This meta-analysis included 11 studies with 4622 patients. Overall, there were no significant differences between the two regimens in terms of overall survival (HR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.96-1.17, P=0.23) or overall response rate (RR=1.09, 95% CI: 0.86-1.38, P=0.47). In subgroup analysis, patients in raltitrexed/oxaliplatin group had significantly higher partial response (RR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.17-2.00, P=0.002), overall response rate (RR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.10-1.82, P=0.006), disease control rate (RR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.04-1.29, P=0.009) and lower progressive disease (RR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.45-0.84, P=0.002) when compared to 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin/oxaliplatin group. Occurrence of severe anemia (RR=2.23, 95% CI: 1.38-3.59, P=0.0001), asthenia (RR=2.29, 95% CI: 1.36-3.84, P=0.002), hepatic disorders (RR=7.51, 95% CI: 1.30-43.56, P=0.02), and nausea/vomit (RR=1.70, 95% CI: 1.03-2.81, P=0.04) were significantly higher with the raltitrexed arm treatment, while frequencies of grade 3/4 alopecia (RR=0.36, 95% CI: 0.26-0.50, P<0.00001) and stomatitis/mucositis (RR=0.14, 95% CI: 0.07-0.31, P<0.00001) were increased in the 5-fluorouracil group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Raltitrexed-based chemotherapy regimen leads to an equivalent overall survival and response rates with acceptable toxicities compared to traditional 5-fluorouracil-based regimen in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Raltitrexed can be a treatment option for these patients when 5-fluorouracil-based regimens are not tolerated or inappropriate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Road, 325000 Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Road, 325000 Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Road, 325000 Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Road, 325000 Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Road, 325000 Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Road, 325000 Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China. Electronic address: wyyyhqk@sina.com.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001247:Asthenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000139:chemically induced; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D011799:Quinazolines; D013876:Thiophenes; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; C068874:raltitrexed; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: 5-fluorouracil; Advanced colorectal cancer; Chemotherapy; Meta-analysis; Raltitrexed