Carboplatin and etoposide in advanced colorectal carcinoma. A phase II study

For advanced colorectal carcinoma, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-leucovorin is the best therapy available. To improve results, a variety of drugs were added, including cisplatin (CDDP), sometimes with controversial results. The combination of CDDP and etoposide (VP-16) has shown synergistic activity in other settings. Although VP-16 alone is considered rather inactive in colorectal carcinoma, the authors believed it was appropriate to evaluate the combination of VP-16 and carboplatin (CBDCA) in this disease because the newer platinum analogue CBDCA has more limited side effects than the parent compound.

Twenty-eight patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma were treated with CBDCA (200 mg/m2, days 1-3) and VP-16 (100 mg/m2, days 1-5). Cycles were repeated every 4 weeks. All patients received at least two cycles (median, six cycles; range, two to eight cycles).

There were three complete responses and four partial responses. The median duration of response was 35 weeks (range, 25-84 weeks). The median time to tumor progression was 23 weeks (range, 9-84 weeks). The median survival time was 49 weeks (range, 9-151+ weeks). Toxic effects generally were assessed as mild, with no Grade 4 (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group classification) toxic effects observed during this study.

Response rate and toxic effects observed during this study warrant additional studies comparing this regimen with 5-FU-based regimens in advanced colorectal carcinoma.