Phase II study of trabectedin in pretreated patients with advanced colorectal cancer

This open-label, nonrandomized, phase II study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of trabectedin over a 3-hour intravenous infusion every 3 weeks in patients with pretreated advanced colorectal cancer.

Twenty-one patients were enrolled: 5 patients (23.8%) were treated with 1650 microg/m(2), 10 patients (47.6%) with 1300 microg/m(2), and 6 patients (28.6%) with 1100 microg/m(2). Response to treatment was assessed according to World Health Organization criteria, and toxicities were graded according to National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria, version 2.0.

The median number of treatment cycles per patient was 2 (range, 1-6 cycles). No objective responses were reported. Four patients (19%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.5%-41.9%) exhibited stable disease lasting for a median of 3.6 months (range, 2.4-4.9 months). The median time to progression was 1.5 months (95% CI, 1.3-1.6 months), and the median overall survival was 4.4 months (95% CI, 3-7.5 months; n=2 censored). The main grade 3/4 toxicities were transient asymptomatic transaminase increase (alanine aminotransferase, 66.7% of patients; aspartate aminotransferase, 57.1%) and neutropenia (42.8%). No toxic deaths were reported.

Trabectedin 1300 microg/m(2) given as a 3-hour intravenous infusion every 3 weeks was well tolerated but lacked activity in pretreated advanced-stage colorectal cancer. Therefore, further clinical trials with this trabectedin schedule as a single agent are not warranted.