Adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer

Abstract

Our aim was to study the three-fold response to treatment, survival rates and toxicity.

Materials and methods: We review 76 patients (median age 66.2 years) affected with the disease. All received adjuvant chemotherapy, while 13 with rectal cancer were subjected to radiation too. Patients were staged after Duke's classification.

Results: Recurrence was noted in 15 patients, 3 at stage B and 12 at stage C; median recurrence-free interval was 18.9 months. Patients without relapse had a median disease-free period of 35.9 months. Median overall survival was 35.21 months. The 5-year survival mark have surpassed 14 patients (3 with recurrent disease): 8 at stage B and 6 at stage C. Ten have died; median survival in these patients was 30.5 months. No patients suffered from severe bone marrow toxicity; mucositis and diarrhoea grade III/IV was noted in 10 patients.