Effects of metastatic CRC predictors on treatment outcomes

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed malignant tumor. The problem of mCRC is urgent due to both an increase in the number of metastatic tumors and the implementation of high-tech treatment methods that have significantly improved the results of a 5-year survival.

The research used the method of experiment and observation. Current study included data of 332 patients with CRC who received comprehensive treatment from 2014 to 2018 in oncology centers of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The patients were treated according to the clinical protocols for the treatment of oncological diseases approved in the Republic of Kazakhstan, including surgical treatment, as well as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, depending on the stage and localization of the process. A comprehensive treatment also included surgical treatment, chemotherapy, targeted chemotherapy and, in some cases, radiation therapy for rectal cancer. The diagnosis was confirmed morphologically in all patients; process dissemination was recorded using standard examination methods. Among the patients, women prevailed - 182 (54.8%) women and 150 men (45.2%) were included; the Caucasian race prevailed - 170 (51.2%) patients and 162 (48.8%) patients were of the Asian race. The mean age of the patients at the time of treatment was 56.4 ± 0.6 years (from 25 to 79 years). Histologically, adenocarcinoma prevailed represented by glandular - in 95.6%, mucous - in 2.9% and trabecular - in 1.5% of cases. A comprehensive treatment was used in 209 (63.0%) patients and other types of treatment were used in 123 (37.0%) patients (PCT, stoma + PCT). Radiation therapy was administered to 13 (3.9%) patients diagnosed with rectal cancer.

A comparative analysis of the results of pharmacotherapy in the patients with mCRC showed that of 332 patients, 263 (79.2%) received targeted chemotherapy and 69 (20.8%) received standard polychemotherapy. At the time of the study, 85 (32.3%) patients in the targeted chemotherapy group were still alive, with a median survival of 42.0 ± 1.7 months, 95% CI (38.6-45.4). In the polychemotherapy group, 7 (10.1%) patients were alive, while the median survival rate was 20.0 ± 1.7 months, 95% CI (16.6-23.4).

Based on the results, it was concluded that targeted chemotherapy schemes increased progression-free survival, compared to standard polychemotherapy schemes.