Study on 5-Fluorouracil and Folinic Acid for Colorectal Liver Metastases
Author Information
Author(s): J.H. Anderson, D.J. Kerr, T.G. Cooke, C.S. McArdle
Primary Institution: University Department of Surgery, The Royal Infirmary, Glasgow; CRC Department of Medical Oncology, Glasgow University
Hypothesis
What is the maximum tolerated dose of intra-hepatic arterial 5-fluorouracil when combined with systemic folinic acid?
Conclusion
The study established that a dose of 1.5 g m-2 of 5-FU is recommended for further studies due to dose limiting toxicity observed at 2 g m-2.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients experienced dose limiting toxicity at 2 g m-2 of 5-FU.
- The main adverse effects were vomiting, diarrhoea, and oral ulceration.
- Three patients were withdrawn from the study due to disease progression.
Takeaway
Doctors wanted to find out how much medicine they could safely give to patients with liver cancer. They found that a certain amount worked best without making people too sick.
Methodology
Patients received escalating doses of 5-FU as a 24-hour infusion with a fixed dose of intravenous folinic acid once per week.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and was limited to patients with specific criteria.
Participant Demographics
Ten patients (seven males, three females) with a mean age of 58 years.
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