Dramatic tumor response of bulky liver metastases following treatment with CPT-11 and a chronomodulated 4-day infusion of 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and oxaliplatin every 2 weeks in a colorectal cancer patient.

Three active antitumor agents, i.e. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), oxaliplatin and CPT-11, are available for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and have been successfully combined in two-drug regimens. Hence, CRC has become a chemosensitive disease, but the optimal combination of these agents in first-line treatment remains to be determined. We report the first case of the combination of CPT-11 with oxaliplatin, 5-FU and folinic acid (FA) as first-line chemotherapy for a patient with a pre-occlusive sigmoid adenocarcinoma and synchronous bulky liver metastases. CPT-11 was given at 125 mg/m2, prior to the start of a chronomodulated 4-day infusion of oxaliplatin 25 mg/m2/day, 5-FU 800 mg/m2/day and FA 300 mg/m2/day repeated every 2 weeks. The doses could be escalated to 150 mg/m2 for CPT-11 and 900 mg/m2/day for 5-FU. After six cycles of chemotherapy 70% reduction in tumor size was documented in the liver. The primary tumor was no longer detectable by barium enema. The toxicity included three episodes of grade 4 neutropenic fever, and two episodes of severe diarrhea and vomiting with dehydration. A cumulative grade 2 neurosensory toxicity was observed after six cycles. Following surgery of the primary tumor, because of the major hepatic tumor response and of the absence of extra-hepatic metastases, the patient might be registered for a liver transplantation program. This first report of combining the three active agents in CRC every 2 weeks led to a high dose intensity of each agent and was associated with a dramatic tumor response of a very advanced disease in a patient with already altered performance status. The antitumor activity in this patient suggests that a three-drug intensified regimen might be feasible and active. A prospective study appears warranted to further examine the efficacy and toxicity of this therapeutic approach, and to determine whether it may increase the fraction of advanced CRC patients becoming resectable. This aggressive chemotherapy program may contribute to a re-examination of the usefulness of liver transplantation in patients with metastatic CRC confined to the liver.