[Treatment for advanced colorectal carcinoma with 5-fluorouracil plus low-dose leucovorin]

From July 1992 to May 1996, 16 patients with non-curative postoperative or recurrent colorectal carcinomas were treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus leucovorin (LV) systemic chemotherapy. LV was given at a dose of 20 mg/m2/d immediately followed by 5-FU at 370 mg/m2/d. LV was given by rapid intravenous (i.v.) injection and 5-FU by rapid or drip i.v. for 5 consecutive days. Courses were repeated once every 4 weeks for two months and then once every 5 weeks. All patients took 3 or more courses. The toxicity was tolerable, but one patient needed hospitalization because of severe gastro-intestinal toxicity. We observed 3 PR cases, no CR and an overall response rate of 19%. The response duration was 6 to 8 months, averaging 7.3 months, and median survival was 12 months. It was possible to perform this chemotherapy on an outpatient basis, so we think this chemotherapy is superior to in-hospital chemotherapy considering the issue of quality of life. However, the response rate was low and its duration was short. We must investigate chemotherapy further with new and more powerful chemical modulations to increase the response rate and to prolong the response duration.