Alpha-interferon does not increase the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil in advanced colorectal cancer
2001
Alpha-interferon and 5-fluorouracil in Colorectal Cancer
Sample size: 3254
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Meta-Analysis Group in Cancer
Primary Institution: Department of Medical Oncology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris
Hypothesis
Does combining alpha-interferon with 5-fluorouracil improve treatment outcomes in advanced colorectal cancer?
Conclusion
Alpha-interferon does not improve the effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil in treating advanced colorectal cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- Overall tumour response rates were 25% for patients receiving no alpha-interferon vs. 24% for those receiving it.
- Median survivals were 11.4 months for patients receiving no alpha-interferon vs. 11.5 months for those receiving it.
- 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin showed a statistically significant advantage over 5-fluorouracil plus alpha-interferon in terms of tumour response.
Takeaway
This study found that adding a drug called alpha-interferon to another drug, 5-fluorouracil, doesn't help people with advanced colorectal cancer get better.
Methodology
Two meta-analyses were conducted using individual patient data from multiple trials.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.042
Statistical Significance
p=0.042
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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