Effective and Affordable Chemotherapy for Advanced Colorectal Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Sobrero A, Guglielmi A, Cirillo M, Recaldin E, Frassineti G L, Aschele C, Ravaioli A, Testore P, Caroti C, Gallo L, Pessi M A, Cortesi E, Turci D, Grossi F, Labianca R
Primary Institution: GISCAD IOR and collaborating centres
Hypothesis
An alternating regimen of bolus and continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil is superior to bolus 5-fluorouracil in treating advanced colorectal cancer.
Conclusion
The study found that a regimen combining 5-fluorouracil with leucovorin, methotrexate, and mitomycin C is effective and well-tolerated for patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- The regimen resulted in a 37% response rate.
- After 26 months, 37 patients were still alive.
- The median progression-free survival was 7.7 months.
- The overall survival was 18.8 months.
- The 2-year survival rate was 30%.
- Fewer than 13% of patients experienced severe toxicity.
Takeaway
Doctors found a way to use some old medicines together to help people with a serious type of cancer, and it worked well without making them too sick.
Methodology
Patients received alternating cycles of bolus and continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil, with biochemical modulation using methotrexate and leucovorin.
Participant Demographics
Patients with untreated, advanced, measurable colorectal cancer from 13 Italian centres.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% confidence limits, 28–46%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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