title: Efficacy and tolerability of adjuvant oral capecitabine plus intravenous oxaliplatin (XELOX) in Asian patients with colorectal cancer: 4-year analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although FOLFOX (infusional fluorouracil/leucovorin plus oxaliplatin) is established as a standard chemotherapeutic regimen, the long term efficacy of adjuvant XELOX (oral capecitabine plus intravenous oxaliplatin) in Asian colorectal cancer (CRC) patients remains anecdotal. Moreover, uncertainties persist as to whether pharmacogenetic differences in Asian populations preclude equally tolerable and effective administration of these drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred consecutive patients with resected colorectal cancer received adjuvant XELOX (oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 on day 1 plus capecitabine 900 mg/m2 twice daily on day 1 to 14 every 3 weeks for 8 cycles) at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. Endpoints monitored during follow-up were disease-free survival (DFS) and disease recurrence, overall survival (OS) and adverse events (AEs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median patient age was 56 years, 56% were diagnosed with rectal cancer and 44% with colonic cancer. After a median follow-up of 4.3 years (95% confidence interval, 3.2-4.7), 24 recurrences were confirmed including 13 patients who died due to progressive disease. Four-year DFS was 81% in colon cancer patients and 67% in rectal cancer patients (p=0.06 by log-rank test). For the cohort as a whole, OS was 90% at 3 years and 84% at 5 years. Treatment-related AEs led to early withdrawal in four patients. The commonest non-hematological AEs were neuropathy (91%), hand-foot syndrome (49%) and diarrhea (46%), while the commonest grade 3/4 AEs were neutropenia (11%) and diarrhea (10%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results confirm the favourable long term survival benefit with good tolerability in using adjuvant XELOX in treating East Asian colorectal cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China E-mail : the@netvigator.com.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Vikki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Hilda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Kin Wah
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Jensen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yau
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010071:Oxaloacetates; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010071:Oxaloacetates; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil