The efficacy and toxicity of FOLFOX regimen (a combination of leucovorin and fluorouracil with oxaliplatin) as first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer

Abstract

Background: Oxaliplatin is the third-generation platinum complex to be active in advanced colorectal cancer. In Japan, it was approved in April 2005. FOLFOX regimen(a combination of leucovorin and fluorouracil with oxaliplatin) has been one of the standard chemotherapy regimens for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Methods: To evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of FOLFOX4 and mFOLFOX6 regimens as first-line chemotherapy in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, 23 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed colorectal cancer who were treated between June 2005 and August 2007 were investigated in this retrospective study. FOLFOX4 was used for treatment in 13 patients(57%), and mFOLFOX6 was in 10 patients(43%).

Results: The objective response rate was 50.0%. The median survival time was 17.4 months. The median number of cycles was 8.0, with a median relative dose intensity of 74.5% for oxaliplatin. Grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicities were leukocytopenia in four patients, and neutropenia in 12 patients, while non-hematological toxicities such as nausea, anorexia and sensory neuropathy occurred in only one patient each adverse event. No treatment-related deaths occurred.

Conclusion: FOLFOX regimen has good efficacy in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer as first-line chemotherapy, with an acceptable overall toxicity profile.