Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of leucovorin (LV) plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) combined with oxaliplatin every 2 weeks on previously untreated advanced colorectal cancer patients in Chinese population.
Patients and methods: Forty-nine patients were enrolled to receive, entirely as inpatients, 2-weekly cycles of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 i.v. over 2 hours on Day 1, together with leucovorin 200 mg/m2 over 2 hours, 5-FU 400 mg/m2, bolus, followed by a 22-hours infusion of 5-FU at 600 mg/m2 Days 1-2 (FOLFOX4) every 2 weeks. Treatment was given until progression or unmanageable toxicity. In all, 49 patients received ≥ 1 oxaliplatin dose and a median of 7 treatment cycles (range 1∼27 cycles).
Results: Of the 45 eligible patients, 1 complete response (CR) and 18 partial responses (PRs) were observed for an overall response rate of 42.2 percent (95 percent confidence interval 26∼56 percent). Median progression-free survival was 7.2 months (6.4∼8.0) and median overall survival was 14.8 months (13.1∼16.5). Six patients (12.2 percent) reported Grade 3∼4 neutropenia. Thirty-one patients (62.3 percent) experienced Grade 1∼3 neurotoxicity and only 5 patients (10.2 percent) experienced Grade 3 neurotoxicity.
Conclusion: In our experience, FOLFOX4 regimen is active and well tolerated in patients with previously untreated advanced colorectal cancer in Chinese population.