Background: To improve quality of life cytostatic effect of serially changed chemotherapy was investigated.
Materials and methods: Nonrandomized controlled trial in 17 patients with diagnosis of metastasis or recurrence following primary colorectal carcinoma was conducted from 1996 through 2001. Patients underwent low-dose CDDP+5-FU monitoring continual CEA level. Whenever uninterrupted increase for minimally 3 times of CEA level was observed, the next chemotherapy was chosen from the following chemotherapy: l-Leucovorin+5-FU, low-dose CPT-11.
Results: Six were died of carcinoma. Median survival time from primary surgery and those from the day of diagnosis of metastasis were 48.6 and 23.3 months, respectively. Most of the patients experienced decrease in CEA level after continuous increase. No severe side effects were observed in them except one who died of hyperosmolar diabetic syndrome.
Conclusions: Although the present trial should await further follow-up to confirm the clinical relevance of its modality, longer survival attained by the serially exchanged chemotherapy would implicate future chemotherapeutic strategy.