Preoperative capecitabine and pelvic radiation in locally advanced rectal cancer--is it equivalent to 5-FU infusion plus leucovorin and radiotherapy?

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective case-matching study was to compare the treatment outcomes and acute toxicity of preoperative radiotherapy (RT) with capecitabine vs. preoperative RT with intermittent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) infusion, leucovorin, and mitomycin C in rectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: We matched 34 patients who were treated with preoperative concurrent capecitabine and 50 Gy of RT by their clinical T stage (T3 or T4) and the tumor location (7 cm from the anal verge) with another 68 patients who were treated with preoperative intermittent 5-FU infusion, leucovorin, mitomycin C, and 50 Gy of RT for a comparison of the pathologic tumor response, local control, distant failure, and survival rates.

Oxaliplatin plus irinotecan compared with irinotecan alone as second-line treatment after single-agent fluoropyrimidine therapy for metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

Unlabelled: PURPOSE To determine whether irinotecan plus oxaliplatin (IROX) is superior to irinotecan alone in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) previously treated with single-agent fluoropyrimidines. PATIENTS AND METHODS A phase III, randomized, open-label, multicenter study of patients with metastatic or recurrent CRC that had progressed or recurred during or after adjuvant or first-line fluoropyrimidines (fluorouracil/leucovorin or capecitabine, the latter only for metastatic CRC). Patients received IROX (irinotecan 200 mg/m(2) plus oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2)) or irinotecan alone (350 mg/m(2)) every 3 weeks.