Study: Thalidomide Plus Chemotherapy Produces Encouraging Results

A phase II trial of thalidomide in combination with the chemotherapy drug irinotecan has produced encouraging results in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.

Dr. Rangaswamy Govindarajan of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences reported that of 20 evaluable patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who received 400 mg/day of thalidomide in combination with irinotecan, two patients experienced a complete response, four patients a partial response and five patients had stable disease.

Dr. Jerome B. Zeldis, chief medical officer of Celgene Corp, said that based on the data, a multicenter phase II/III trial was being initiated using thalidomide both with irinotecan and with the 5-Flourouracil/Leucovorian combination, the most commonly used treatments for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Other sources: ASCO, Celgene