Combination chemotherapy of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and low dose leucovorin in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and low dose leucovorin (LV) combination in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with unresectable or recurrent colorectal carcinomas were prospectively accrued. Up to one prior chemotherapy regimen was allowed. Patients received oxaliplatin, 85 mg/m(2), administered as a 2-hour infusion on day 1, followed by LV, 20 mg/m(2), as a bolus and 5-FU, 1,500 mg/m(2), via continuous infusion for 24 hours on days 1 and 2. Treatment was repeated every 2 weeks until disease progression or adverse effects prohibited further therapy.

RESULTS

Between August 1999 and May 2004, 31 patients were enrolled in this study. Of the patients enrolled, 24 and 31 were evaluable for tumor response and survival analysis, respectively. The patients' characteristics included a median age of 59, with 6 (19%) having had prior chemotherapy. No patient achieved a complete response, but nine (38%) attained a partial response. Seven (29%) patients maintained a stable disease and 8 (33%) experienced increasing disease. The median duration of the response was 6 months. After a median follow-up of 9.6 months, the median time to progression was 3.8 months, with a median survival of 10.7 months. The hematological toxicities were mild to moderate, with no treatment-related mortality or infection. The major non-hematological toxicity was gastrointestinal toxicity.

CONCLUSION

The combination chemotherapy of oxaliplatin, low dose LV and continuous infusion of 5-FU is safe and has a cost-benefit, but is a moderately effective regimen in advanced colorectal cancer. A randomized trial comparing low and high dosages of leucovorin in the FOLFOX regimen is warranted.