[Multicenter cooperative study of pre- and post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer. North Kyushu Co-operative Study Group for Cancer Chemotherapy].

The usefulness of pre- and post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients was studied by the North Kyushu Co-operative Study Group for Cancer Chemotherapy (21 participating institutions). Comparisons were made among group I given a tegafur suppository preoperatively+tegafur oral preparation postoperatively, group II given a tegafur suppository preoperatively+UFT oral preparation postoperatively and group III given a tegafur oral preparation postoperatively. No differences were seen in the incidence of postoperative complications depending on whether or not tegafur suppositories were administered preoperatively. There were also no differences in the symptom or incidence of side effects due to postoperative administration of tegafur or UFT. In a study of 5-FU concentration in the lymph nodes due to preoperative tegafur administration and recurrences, the concentration of 5-FU was significantly higher in the lymph nodes of cases without recurrences than in those with recurrences, and it was suggested that a relation exists between the concentration of agent and recurrences. The concentration of 5-FU in the lymph nodes of Dukes B patients was significantly higher in cases without recurrences than in those with recurrences. The non-recurrence rate (healthy rate) was better in the group given UFT postoperatively than in that administered tegafur postoperatively although the difference was not significant.