FOLFIRINOX bevacizumab is a promising therapy for chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer

Oncology. 2014;87(3):148-58. doi: 10.1159/000361031. Epub 2014 Jul 8.

Abstract

Purpose: Fluoropyrimidines, oxaliplatin, irinotecan and targeted therapies represent the standard treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. After failure of all these treatments, few options are available. In such chemorefractory patients the effect of triplet chemotherapy with bevacizumab (FOLFIRINOX bevacizumab) has never been investigated.

Patients and methods: 49 consecutive patients bearing unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer and who experienced failure to oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy were treated with oxaliplatin (85 mg/m(2)), irinotecan (180 mg/m(2)), leucovorin (400 mg/m(2)), and fluorouracil (400 mg/m(2) bolus then 2,400 mg/m(2)) repeated every 2 weeks.

Results: Median age was 63 (range 36-82) years. After a median follow-up of 12 months, the median progression-free survival was 5.8 months (95% CI 3.4-6.8) and the median overall survival was 11.9 months (95% CI 8-18). The response rate after the cycle was evaluable for 36 patients, whereby we observed 18% (95% CI 8-35) partial or complete response, 45% (95% CI 28-68) stable disease of more than 2 months, and 37% (95% CI 21-58) progression.

Conclusion: This study suggests that bevacizumab + FOLFIRINOX may be active in mCRC patients after failure of classical lines of chemotherapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bevacizumab
  • Camptothecin / administration & dosage
  • Camptothecin / analogs & derivatives
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / administration & dosage
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Irinotecan
  • Leucovorin / administration & dosage
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / mortality
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / administration & dosage
  • Oxaliplatin
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Salvage Therapy*
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Organoplatinum Compounds
  • Oxaliplatin
  • Bevacizumab
  • Irinotecan
  • Leucovorin
  • Fluorouracil
  • Camptothecin