Preoperative treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable rectal adenocarcinoma utilizing continuous chronobiologically shaped 5‐fluorouracil infusion and radiation therapy

• Published in: Cancer Vol. 78; no. 2; pp. 217 - 225
• Main Authors: de W. Marsh, Robert, Chu, Nei‐Min, Vauthey, Jean‐Nicholas, Mendenhall, William M., Lauwers, Gregory Y., Bewsher, Carol, Copeland, Edward M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 15.07.1996; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - drug therapy; Adenocarcinoma - radiotherapy; Adenocarcinoma - surgery; Adult; Aged; Anal Canal - surgery; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - administration & dosage; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; chemotherapy; chronobiology; circadian; Cohort Studies; Combined Modality Therapy; Combined treatments (chemotherapy of immunotherapy associated with an other treatment); Disease-Free Survival; Drug Tolerance; Female; Fluorouracil - administration & dosage; Fluorouracil - therapeutic use; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; preoperative; Preoperative Care; radiotherapy; Radiotherapy Dosage; rectal carcinoma; Rectal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Rectal Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Rectal Neoplasms - surgery; Remission Induction; Survival Rate; Adenocarcinoma; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Rectal disease; Intravenous administration; Administration schedule; Malignant tumor; Circadian rhythm; Radiotherapy; Neoadjuvant treatment; Result; Chronobiology; Rectum; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Pyrimidine derivatives; Advanced stage; Combined treatment; Fluorine Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0008-543X; 1097-0142
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19960715)78:2<217::AID-CNCR5>3.0.CO;2-I

BACKGROUND This study was designed to determine the efficacy and maximally tolerated dose of 5‐fluorouracil when administered by chronobiologically shaped prolonged infusion in combination with radiation therapy in patients with both locally advanced and unresectable rectal carcinoma. METHODS Eighteen sequential patients determined clinically to have either locally advanced or unresectable rectal carcinoma were treated by 4500 centigray (cGy) or 5580 cGy, respectively, combined with continuous chronobiologically modulated 5‐FU infusion starting at 250 mg/m2/day, with the dose escalating in each cohort of 5 patients if no Grade 3 or higher toxicity was observed in each cohort. Imaging studies were obtained prior to and after completion of treatment. RESULTS All 18 patients completed the full course of radiation therapy and all were subsequently resectable for potential cure. The maximum tolerated dose of 5‐FU was 275/m2/day for 5 weeks. Seven patients had a sphincter‐sparing procedure, and ten patients underwent an abdominoperineal resection, all with clear margins. Five complete pathologic responses (28%) were obtained. The average follow‐up time was 12 months with a range of 6 to 37 months. With the exception of two patients, one of whom declined surgery and one of whom died of widespread disease, all of the patients have remained free of disease. CONCLUSIONS The combination of radiation therapy and continuous chronobiologically shaped 5‐FU infusion at a dose of up to 275/m2/day is well tolerated and appears to be more effective in downsizing and possibly downstaging locally advanced and unresectable rectal carcinoma than radiation therapy alone. Longer follow‐up will determine whether ultimate disease free and overall survival are improved by this method. Cancer 1996;78:217‐25.