Treatment Information

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Rectal Cancer treatment details. Chemotherapy, Biologic therapy.

Royal Marsden Hospital, Surrey, United Kingdom.

Survival: monthsCountry:United Kingdom
Toxiciy Grade:4City/State/Province:Surrey
Treatments:Chemotherapy, Biologic therapyHospital:Royal Marsden Hospital
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Nov 2005

Description:

Patients: This Phase III study involved 630 patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer. The patients were randomized into two groups. Group A had 422 patients (257 men, 165 women) with a median age of 64 years. Of the 422 patients, 311 had colon cancer and 111 had rectal cancer.

Treatment: The treatment consisted of two chemotherapeutic agents: fluorouracil and leucovorin. In addition, Group A received a biological therapy agent 3H1, a monoclonal antibody against the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

Toxicity: For Group A, grade 3-4 toxicities included neutropenia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dehydration, and stomatitis.

Results: The median overall survival was 14.7 months for Group A and 15.2 months for Group B. The authors observed that while,"3H1 is safe and effectively induces immune responses to CEA [the] addition of 3H1 to 5-FU and LV was not shown to improve overall patient outcomes."

Support: Several of the authors were employees of Titan Pharmaceuticals. Titan Pharmaceuticals develops and manufactures the 3H1 monoclonal antibody used in this study.

Correspondence: Dr. D. Cunningham





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