More Promising Results in Trial of Oxaliplatin for Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Researchers reported continuing promising results from a trial involving the chemotherapy drug, oxaliplatin, used in combination with two standard drugs for treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Researchers led by Dr Mace Rothenberg from the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, presented further results of the study in which patients were treated with oxaliplatin in combination with 5-FU and leucovorin at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Nice, France.

The study involving 821 patients with advanced bowel or colorectal cancer found that those treated with a combination of the drugs showed a significant delay in disease progression.

"Both the delay in time to tumor progression and the reduction in tumor-related symptoms are very encouraging," Rothenberg said. "We found that patients suffered less from pain, weight loss and fatigue with the combination therapy."

Earlier data led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration two months ago to approve the drug, after a review of only seven weeks, for use by advanced colorectal cancer patients with no other treatment options.

"This trial should be fully mature in about six months. At that point we will know more about the impact of the oxaliplatin, 5-FU and leucovorin combination on the survival of patients with recurrent colorectal cancer," said Rothenberg.

Other Sources:European Society for Medical Oncology