title: Biweekly cetuximab and first-line chemotherapy in chinese patients with k-ras wild-type colorectal cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The efficacy and safety of using combination chemotherapy with cetuximab as first-line treatment in patients with K-ras wild-type colorectal cancers has been well established. In general, weekly cetuximab was given with biweekly chemotherapy FOLFOX-4 or FOLFIRI, synchronizing them would be appealed to both patients and health care professionals.
  
  
  METHODS
  This Phase II, prospective study investigated the efficacy and safety of using biweekly cetuximab 500 mg/m(2) with chemotherapy FOLFOX-4 or FOLFIRI as first-line treatment for Chinese patients with K-ras wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer. The study endpoints included overall objective response (OR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and safety.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total 15 Chinese patients (male: 10 [67%]; median age: 60 [range 41-80]) were enrolled. Patients received median 12 cycles (range 2-12) of chemotherapy + cetuximab (FOLFOX-4 + cetuximab: 9 [60%]; FOLFIRI + cetuximab: 6 [40%]). Six patients (40%) with non-progressive disease after 12 cycles of chemotherapy + cetuximab carried on maintenance cetuximab. Median duration of follow-up (FU) was 23.7 months. The OR was 40% (complete response: 0%; partial response: 40%) for a disease control rate of 87%. Median PFS and OS were 7.8 months and 17.9 months respectively. For maintenance cetuximab phase, median PFS since the start of maintenance cetuximab was 6.8 months and median OS was 17.0 months. The only grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia (26.7%) in chemotherapy phase and acneiform rashes (16.7%) in maintenance phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biweekly cetuximab with combination chemotherapy was effective and safe as weekly dose. Further studies are warranted for the role of maintenance cetuximab.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wing-Lok
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Victor Ho Fun
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wai Kwan Steven
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Siu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Pui Ying Patty
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Rico King Yin
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: To Wai
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Leung
keywords: Cetuximab; chemotherapy; colorectal cancer; maintenance; metastasis