A retrospective study of bifractionated CPT-11 with LF5FU infusion (FOLFIRI-3) in colorectal cancer patients pretreated with oxaliplatin and CPT-11 containing chemotherapies

Bifractionated CPT-11 with LV5FU2 infusion (FOLFIRI-3) in combination with bevacizumab: clinical outcomes in first-line metastatic colorectal cancers according to plasma angiopoietin-2 levels

BACKGROUND

Optimization of chemotherapy effectiveness in metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRC) is a major endpoint to enhance the possibility of curative intent surgery. FOLFIRI3 has shown promising results as second-line chemotherapy for mCRC patients previously exposed to oxaliplatin. The clinical efficacy of FOLFIRI3 was never determined in association with bevacizumab in non-previously treated mCRC patients.

METHODS

We conducted a phase II clinical trial to characterize the response rate and toxicity profile of FOLFIRI3-bevacizumab as initial treatment for mCRC. Sixty-one patients enrolled in 3 investigation centers were treated with FOLFIRI3-bevacizumab (median of 10 cycles) followed by a maintenance therapy combining bevacizumab and capecitabine. Levels of plasma angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at baseline.

RESULTS

Overall response rate (ORR) was 66.7% (8% of complete and 58% of partial responses). The disease control rate was 91.7%. After a median time of follow-up of 46.7 months, 56 patients (92%) had progressed or died. The median progression free survival (PFS) was 12.7 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 9.7-15.8 months). The median overall survival (OS) was 24.5 months (95% CI: 10.6-38.3 months). Twenty-one patients underwent curative intent-surgery including 4 patients with disease initially classified as unresectable. Most common grade III-IV toxicities were diarrhea (15%), neutropenia (13%), asthenia (10%), and infections (4%). Hypertension-related medications needed to be increased in 3 patients. In multivariate analysis, surgery of metastases and Ang-2 levels were the only independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS. Indeed, baseline level of Ang-2 above 5 ng/mL was confirmed as an independent prognostic factor for progression free survival (HR = 0.357; 95% CI: 0.168-0.76, p = 0.005) and overall survival (HR = 0.226; 95% CI: 0.098-0.53, p = 0.0002).

CONCLUSIONS

As front-line therapy, FOLFIRI-3-bevacizumab is associated with an acceptable toxicity and induced promising objective response rates. However, unfavorable clinical outcomes were observed in patients with high levels of angiopoietin-2.

Bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI-3 in chemotherapy-refractory patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in the era of biotherapies

BACKGROUND

The optimal chemotherapeutic regimen suitable for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients previously treated with 5-fluorouracil (5FU), oxaliplatin, irinotecan and biotherapies remains an unresolved issue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of bevacizumab combined with FOLFIRI-3 in mCRC after failure of prior chemotherapy including fluoropyrimidine, irinotecan and oxaliplatin.

METHODS

Patients were treated with bevacizumab in combination with FOLFIRI-3 every 14 days. The association between treatment efficacy and visceral fat area as measured by CT scan or Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) change after 2 months was also studied.

RESULTS

Forty-nine consecutive patients were treated. Four hundred and twenty four cycles of chemotherapy were delivered. Median follow-up was 11 months. Eleven patients (22.4%) had an objective partial response and 26 (53.1%) were stabilized. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 7 and 13 months respectively. Four grade 4 adverse events occurred (1 digestive perforation, 1 rectal ulcer, 1 pulmonary embolism, and 1 febrile aplasia) but no toxic death was observed. Grade 3 adverse events occurred in 18 patients (38%) including asthenia in 15 patients (30%), nausea and vomiting in 4 patients (8%), diarrhea in 11 patients (22%), anemia in 4 patients (8%), neutropenia in 10 patients (20%) and thrombopenia in 4 patients (8%). Visceral Fat area was significantly lower in responder patients. CEA change at 2 months predicted improved overall survival.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that bevacizumab combined with FOLFIRI3 may be active in mCRC patients after failure of all classical lines of chemotherapy.

Shifting to first-line regimen after previous failure of irinotecan and oxaliplatin containing chemotherapies in unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer: a retrospective study of case analysis

PURPOSE

Conventional use of FOLFIRI-FOLFOX or the reverse sequence is the optional regimen in metastatic unresectable colorectal cancer (CRC). We present our experience in chemotherapy (C/T) shifting to first-line regimen after previous failure of irinotecan and oxaliplatin containing regimens.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 48 patients with metastatic unresectable CRC were examined retrospectively. All the patients had both failure of a first-line C/T and a second-line C/T. Of these patients, 13 patients received C/T shifting to first-line regimen. Data were collected retrospectively.

RESULTS

Rate of disease control of 38.4% was achieved (five in 13 patients). In the positive disease control group, metastatic sites were all extra-hepatic (five patients). In the negative disease control group, hepatic metastatic rate was 62.5% (five in eight patients, P=0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

Even after previous failure of irinotecan and oxaliplatin containing C/T, we observe positive disease control response and survival benefit in selected patients with C/T shifting to the first-line regimen especially in extra-hepatic metastasis. The preliminary results are proposed to gain insight into the need for further investigations and large-scale studies.

Efficacy of FOLFIRI-3 (irinotecan D1,D3 combined with LV5-FU) or other irinotecan-based regimens in oxaliplatin-pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer in the GERCOR OPTIMOX1 study

BACKGROUND

Second-line irinotecan-based chemotherapy is commonly used in metastatic colorectal cancers after first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. No standard schedule of irinotecan has been established in this situation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Metastatic colorectal cancer patients included in the OPTIMOX1 phase III study received first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (FOLFOX). No second line was defined in the protocol, but data concerning second line were prospectively registered. Inclusion criterion was patients receiving an irinotecan-based second-line chemotherapy. Second-line progression-free survival (PFS) and tumor response were evaluated according to type of irinotecan-based regimen administered.

RESULTS

A total of 342 patients received irinotecan-based chemotherapy as second-line chemotherapy: FOLFIRI-3 [n = 109, irinotecan 100 mg/m(2) days 1 and 3 combined with leucovorin (LV) 400 mg/m(2) day 1 and 46-h continuous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 2000 mg/m(2)], FOLFIRI-1 (n = 112, irinotecan 180 mg/m(2) day 1 combined with LV 400 mg/m(2) day 1, 5-FU bolus 400 mg/m(2) and 46-h continuous 5-FU 2400 mg/m(2)) and other various irinotecan-based regimens (n = 121). Median second-line PFS was 3.0 months (FOLFIRI-3: 3.7 months; FOLFIRI-1: 3.0 months; other regimens: 2.3 months). In multivariate analysis, FOLFIRI-3 regimen (relative risk 0.43, 95% confidence interval 0.28-0.68, P = 0.0003) and lactate deshydrogenase level at inclusion (P = 0.0006) in OPTIMOX1 were associated with a longer second-line PFS.

CONCLUSION

In unselected patients pretreated with oxaliplatin, PFS in second line appeared to be improved by FOLFIRI-3 regimen.