Heptaplatin (Sunpla) is a cisplatin derivative. A phase IIb trial using heptaplatin resulted in a 34% response rate with mild nephrotoxicity. We conducted a randomized phase III trial of heptaplatin plus 5-FU compared with cisplatin plus 5-FU in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
One hundred seventy-four patients (heptaplatin, n=88; cisplatin, n=86) from 13 centers were enrolled. The eligibility criteria were as follows: patients with pathologically-proven adenocarcinoma, chemonaive patients, or patients who had received only single adjuvant chemotherapy, and who had a measurable or evaluable lesion. On day 1, heptaplatin (400 mg/m2) or cisplatin (60 mg/m2) was given over 1 hour with 5-FU (1 gm/m2) on days 1~5 every 4 weeks.
At the time of survival analysis, the median overall survival was 7.3 months in the 5-FU + heptaplatin (FH) arm and 7.9 months in the 5-FU + cisplatin (FP) arm (p=0.24). Of the FH patients, 34.2% (complete response [CR], 1.3%; partial response [PR], 32.9%) experienced a confirmed objective response compared with 35.9% (CR 0%, PR 35.9%) of FP patients (p=0.78). The median-time-to-progression was 2.5 months in the FH arm and 2.3 months in the FP arm. The incidence of neutropenia was higher with FP (28%) than with FH (16%; p=0.06); grade 3~4 nausea and vomiting were more frequent in the FP than in the FH arm (p=0.01 and p=0.05, respectively). The incidence of increased proteinuria and creatininemia was higher with FH than with FP; however, there was no statistical difference. There were no treatment-related deaths.
Heptaplatin showed similar effects to cisplatin when combined with 5-FU in advanced gastric cancer patients with tolerable toxicities.
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Fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin combination therapy have shown synergistic or additive effect against advanced colorectal cancer, but the frequency of mucositis and diarrhea is increased. Most previous studies have used high dose leucovorin (300~500 mg/m2). However, some studies of oxaliplatin and 5-FU with low-dose or high-dose leucovorin in Korea have shown similar response rates. Therefore, we studied the necessity of leucovorin and evaluated the objective tumor response rates and toxicities of a regimen of oxaliplatin and 5-FU without leucovorin every 2 weeks in metastatic colorectal cancer patients.
Twenty-four patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were enrolled between January 2002 and March 2003. Patients received 85 mg/m2 of oxaliplatin on day 1, a bolus 5-FU 400 mg/m2 on day 1 and a continuous 5-FU infusion at 600 mg/m2/ 22 hours days 1 and 2, every 2 weeks.
Of the 24 patients treated, 17 patients received previous 5FU with leucovorin and/or other chemotherapy. Three patients could not be evaluated. Five partial responses were observed with overall response rate of 21% (n=24). Of the previous chemotherapy group (n=17), 4 partial responses were observed with response rate of 24%. Median overall survival was 18 months (range 4~32 months) and median progression free survival was 4 months (range 2~6 months). This regimen was well tolerated and only 1 grade 3 anemia was observed.
Oxaliplatin/5-FU combination therapy without leucovorin achieved a relatively high response rate even in patients resistant to the previous 5-FU chemotherapy, and toxicity was minimal.
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