Study: Anti-Infective Drug Does Not Improve Colorectal Cancer Survival

Trimetrexate (Neutrexin), an anti-infective drug, does not improve the survival of patients with advanced colorectal cancer, according to researchers at the University Medical Center, St. Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Trimetrexate is used as an alternative therapy with leucovorin for the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with compromised immune systems. More recently it has been under investigation as a treatment for non-small-cell lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer.

Two randomized studies (Europe and the U.S.) were conducted using trimetrexate as a biochemical modulator of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin (LV) in advanced colorectal cancer. Both studies were designed to detect a statistically significant difference in the survival rates comparing 5-FU/LV with or without trimetrexate.

A total of 746 patients were analyzed. The median overall survival was 13 months for the 5-FU/LV group and 14.6 months for the 5-FU/LV with trimetrexate group. The median progression-free survival was 4.4 months and 5.4 months respectively. The results were not regarded as statistically significant.

Researchers reported in the Annals of Oncology that that the addition of trimetrexate to a weekly regimen of 5-FU/LV did not improve the outcome for patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Other Sources: Annals of Oncology