First-line chemotherapy with low-dose leucovorin plus 5-fluorouracil (LV/5-FU) for elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

AIM

To assess the practical efficacy of low-dose leucovorin plus 5-fluorouracil (LV/5-FU) in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The records of 20 patients treated with LV/5-FU for unresectable metastatic disease from colorectal cancer from 1999 to 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients received LV/5-FU as first-line, and low-dose CPT-11 and CDDP regimen (CPT-11/CDDP) as second-line therapy.

RESULTS

In the treatment of LV/5-FU, no patients had CR, 3 patients had PR, 4 patients had SD and 13 patients had PD, which results in a response rate (RR) of 15% and in a disease control rate (DCR) of 35%. MST of all patients was 18.4 months. There was one patient who experienced grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions during the course of these regimens.

CONCLUSION

Low-dose LV/5-FU chemotherapy in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer could be acceptable in order to avoid adverse effects and to obtain quite a favorable survival time.