Palliative Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Launched by MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL · May 12, 2004

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the survival and quality of life of patients with metastatic or recurrent colorectal cancer receiving palliative therapy with leucovorin/fluorouracil vs. continuous-infusion fluorouracil vs. ICI D1694. II. Compare the survival and quality of life of patients with stable or responding disease after 12 weeks of initial treatment randomized to receive 12 additional weeks of chemotherapy vs. no further treatment.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified by participating institution. Patients are randomized to one of three treatment regimens. The first...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum in one of the following categories: Locally advanced, metastatic, or recurrent disease suitable only for palliative chemotherapy Evaluable disease outside prior radiotherapy field Patients with disease confined to the liver are referred to protocol MRC-CR05
• • PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Not specified Performance status: WHO 0-2 Life expectancy: Greater than 3 months Hematopoietic: WBC at least 4,000 ANC at least 2,000 Platelets at least 100,000 Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.25 times normal OR Creatinine clearance greater than 65 mL/min Cardiovascular: No uncontrolled heart failure No uncontrolled angina Other: No uncontrolled medical illness (including infection) Able and willing to complete quality-of-life questionnaires No prior or concurrent malignancy likely to interfere with protocol treatment or evaluation
• • PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: No prior systemic chemotherapy except fluorouracil-based adjuvant regimen (e.g., QUASAR) At least 6 months since chemotherapy