Adjuvant oral razoxane (ICRF-159) in resectable colorectal cancer

One hundred and seventy six patients (81 controls, 95 receiving treatment) have entered a prospective randomized trial of long-term oral adjuvant razoxane (ICRF-159) following removal of a colorectal cancer. The median follow-up is 34 months. The treated patients in Dukes' groups B and C have a significantly longer disease-free interval than the control patients (P = 0.01 'as randomized' and P = 0.004 'as treated'). The differences in survival for Dukes' groups B and C are not significant, although follow-up is short. In Dukes' groups B and C, however, 24 of 56 of the patients in the control group have died (43%), as against only 17 of 64 in the treatment group (27%). The treatment produces very few side-effects, is well tolerated by patients, and is taken orally.