Folfox and Folfiri for metastatic colorectal cancer – pro

Currently, there are seven active and approved chemotherapy drugs for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: 5-FU, capecitabine, irinotecan, oxaliplatin, bevacizumab, cetuximab, and panitumumab. Among the best studied ways of putting some of these drugs together are the regimen Folfox and Folfiri. Three randomized studies demonstrated improved response rates, progression-free survival (PFS), and OS when irinotecan or oxaliplatin was combined with 5-FU-leucovorin. Intergroup study N9741 then compared IFL with FOLFOX4 in first-line treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients assigned to FOLFOX4 experienced an improved PFS (median, 6.9 months vs. 8.7 months; P = .014; HR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.61–0.89) and OS (15.0 months vs. 19.5 months, P = .001; HR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.54–0.82) compared with patients randomized to IFL. Subsequently, two studies compared FOLFOX with FOLFIRI, and patients were allowed to cross over upon progression on first-line therapy, respectively. PFS and OS were identical between the treatment arms in both studies. Since the publication of these studies, the use of either FOLFOX or FOLFIRI is considered acceptable for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.Avastin is also approved with 5FU containing regimens for first line. Forfiri is FDA approved also with Erbitux.

The Folfox regimen includes a 22 hour continuous infusion of 5FU. While this can be done through a pump on the outpatient basis, it is often delivered inpatient. The FLOX regimen eliminates the infusion part and is slowly gaining on the Folfox because it is more convenient. However, at the present time, Folfox has more supporting studies and is more widely used than FLOX. Flox is quoted in NCCN, COL-F, 2 2017.
Tournigand, C, Andre, T, Achille, E, et al. FOLFIRI Followed by FOLFOX6 or the Reverse Sequence in Advanced Colorectal Cancer: A Randomized GERCOR Study. J Clin Oncol 2004; 22:229.

Colucci G, Gebbia V, Paoletti G, et al.: Phase III randomized trial of FOLFIRI versus FOLFOX4 in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer: a multicenter study of the Gruppo Oncologico Dell’Italia Meridionale. J Clin Oncol 23 (22): 4866-75, 2005.
Hurwitz H, Fehrenbacher L, Novotny W, et al.: Bevacizumab plus irinotecan, fluorouracil, and leucovorin for metastatic colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med 350 (23): 2335-42, 2004.
Giantonio BJ, Catalano PJ, Meropol NJ, et al.: High-dose bevacizumab improves survival when combined with FOLFOX4 in previously treated advanced colorectal cancer: results from the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) study E3200. J Clin Oncol 23 (Suppl 16): A-2, 1s, 2005.
Rothenberg ML, Eckardt JR, Kuhn JG, et al.: Phase II trial of irinotecan in patients with progressive or rapidly recurrent colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol 14 (4): 1128-35, 1996.
nccn.org, colorectal 2014

Van Cutsem E, Köhne CH, Láng I, et al. Cetuximab plus irinotecan, fluorouracil, and leucovorin as first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer: updated analysis of overall survival according to tumor KRAS and BRAF mutation status. J Clin Oncol. 2011;29(15):2011-2019.
Daniela R. Nebuloni Milena P. Mak Fabiano Hahn Souza Daniel F. Saragiotto Thiago Júlio Gilberto De Castro Jr Jorge Sabbaga Paulo M. Hoff, Modified FLOX as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer patients in the public health system in Brazil: Effectiveness and cost-utility analysis Mol CLin Oncol January 2013 Volume 1 Issue 1

Kuebler JP, Wieand HS, O’Connell MJ, et al. Oxaliplatin combined with weekly bolus fluorouracil and leucovorin as surgical adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II and III colon cancer: results from NSABP C-07. J Clin Oncol. 2007:25:21982204.

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