Chronotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid in advanced colorectal carcinoma. Results of a chronopharmacologic phase I trial.

Background: Chronotherapy with antineoplastic drugs is a rather new strategy of reducing cytotoxic side effects. Because the circadian timing of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was reported to result in a higher efficacy and lower toxicity, the authors conducted a chronopharmacologic Phase I trial with 5-FU and folinic acid (FA).

Methods: Eight patients with advanced colorectal cancer received 5-FU (initial dose of 500 mg/m2/day) and FA (20 mg/m2/day) as a continuous intravenous infusion over 5 consecutive days. Using a portable, ambulatory drug delivery system, 75% of the daily dose of 5-FU and FA were given from Oh00-7h00, and the remaining 25% from 7h00-24h00. Treatment courses were repeated after 28 days. Dose escalations of 250 mg/m2/day of 5-FU and 10 mg/m2/day of FA per course were performed in the absence of any toxicity greater than WHO (World Health Organization) grade 2.

Results: Dose-limiting toxicity WHO grade 3 was observed at a dose of 750 mg/m2/day of 5-FU and 30 mg/m2/day of FA in five, and 1000 mg/m2/day of 5-FU and 40 mg/m2/day of FA in two patients, respectively. One patient tolerated 1000 mg/m2/day of 5-FU and 40 mg/m2/day of FA, but the treatment was stopped before further dose escalation because of rapid disease progression. Mucositis was the dose-limiting toxicity in seven patients and diarrhea in two. Disease stabilization occurred in three patients and disease progression in five. Compared with conventional Phase I/II trials using a 5-day infusion regimen, the maximal tolerated dose of 5-FU and FA was slightly higher but significantly lower than in a chronotherapeutic trial that used a different, sinusoidal mode of drug application.

Conclusion: Based on these results, the authors feel justified to caution that the circadian timing of 5-FU plus FA may not always allow the safe application of high dose levels. Future Phase I/II studies need to define whether specific drug delivery systems or schedules are necessary for chronotherapy with 5-FU and FA in patients with colorectal carcinoma.