Clinical Utility of 5-Day-on/2-Day-off UFT/Leucovorin in Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer

Yukihiko Tokunaga and Hirokazu Sasaki

Department of Surgery, Kyoto Teishin Hospital, Japan

^*Correspondance to: Yukihiko Tokunaga 

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Abstract:

Background: Recent clinical studies proved oral Uracil/Tegafur (UFT)/Leucovorin (LV) regimen, in which the drugs are taken for 28 consecutive days every 35 days, equivalent to an infusional 5-fluorouracil/LV regimen for treatment of Colorectal Cancer (CRC). The 5-day-on/2-day-off schedule for UFT/LV, which is taken for 5 days followed by 2 days off, has been proposed, since the 5-day-on/2-day-off schedule for UFT has been safe and effective. However, clinical utility of 5-dayon/2-day-off schedule for UFT/LV has scarcely been reported in terms of effects and safety.
Methods: We assessed the utility of 5-day-on/2-day-off schedule of UFT/LV in 40 CRC patients, being compared to the consecutive schedule in 20 CRC patients as adjuvant chemotherapy. UFT (300 mg/m2/day)/LV (75 mg/body/day) were taken in both schedules.
Results: In the 5-day-on/2-day-off schedule, 35 of 40 (87%) patients received all scheduled doses of the regimen. The mean relative dose intensity was 0.92. In consecutive schedule, 16 of 20 (80%) patients received all scheduled doses of the regimen. The mean relative dose intensity was 0.87. The toxicity was milder in the 5-day-on/2-day-off schedule than the consecutive schedule. A total of 14 adverse events developed in the 5-day-on/2-day-off schedule, and a total of 29 adverse events developed in the consecutive schedule. Disease-free survival in patients with the 5-day-on/2-day-off schedule was significantly (P=0.05) better than those with consecutive schedule.
Conclusion: The present results indicated that the 5-day-on/2-day-off schedule of UFT/LV would be useful and effective with mild adverse reaction in long-term adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery for CRC.

Keywords:

Colorectal cancer; Chemotherapy; UFT/LV; Postoperation

Cite the Article:

Tokunaga Y, Sasaki H. Clinical Utility of 5-Day-on/2-Day-off UFT/Leucovorin in Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer. World J Surg Surgical Res. 2018; 1: 1015.