Capecitabine in combination with irinotecan (XELIRI), administered as a 2-weekly schedule, as first-line chemotherapy for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a phase II study of the Spanish GOTI group

The effective combination therapies with irinotecan for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer worldwide and has become one of the major human disease burdens. In clinical practice, the treatment of colorectal cancer has been closely related to the use of irinotecan. Irinotecan combines with many other anticancer drugs and has a broader range of drug combinations. Combination therapy is one of the most important means of improving anti-tumor efficacy and overcoming drug resistance. Reasonable combination therapy can lead to better patient treatment options, and inappropriate combination therapy will increase patient risk. For the colorectal therapeutic field, the significance of combination therapy is to improve the efficacy, reduce the adverse effects, and improve the ease of treatment. Therefore, we explored the clinical advantages of its combination therapy based on mechanism or metabolism and reviewed the rationale basis and its limitations in conducting exploratory clinical trials on irinotecan combination therapy, including the results of clinical trials on the combination potentiation of cytotoxic drugs, targeted agents, and herbal medicine. We hope that these can evoke more efforts to conduct irinotecan in the laboratory for further studies and evaluations, as well as the possibility of more in-depth development in future clinical trials.

Oncological Treatment-Related Fatigue in Oncogeriatrics: A Scoping Review

Simple Summary

Fatigue in older patients has multiple etiologies, as this symptom may be cancer-related, treatment-related, age-related, or part of frailty syndrome. Physicians need to identify this symptom and understand its risk factors but also evaluate the risk/benefit ratio of cancer treatments considering the risk of impairing the patient’s quality of life. This scoping review was aimed to present the level of information currently available on any-grade fatigue and grade 3 or more fatigue for each cancer treatment regimen, either in general or in older populations, for the most prevalent tumors.

Abstract

Fatigue is a highly prevalent symptom in both cancer patients and the older population, and it contributes to quality-of-life impairment. Cancer treatment-related fatigue should thus be included in the risk/benefit assessment when introducing any treatment, but tools are lacking to a priori estimate such risk. This scoping review was designed to report the current evidence regarding the frequency of fatigue for the different treatment regimens proposed for the main cancer indications, with a specific focus on age-specific data, for the following tumors: breast, ovary, prostate, urothelium, colon, lung and lymphoma. Fatigue was most frequently reported using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) versions 3 to 5. A total of 324 regimens were analyzed; data on fatigue were available for 217 (67%) of them, and data specific to older patients were available for 35 (11%) of them; recent pivotal trials have generally reported more fatigue grades than older studies, illustrating increasing concern over time. This scoping review presents an easy-to-understand summary that is expected to provide helpful information for shared decisions with patients regarding the anticipation and prevention of fatigue during each cancer treatment.

Oral drugs in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common forms of cancer, with an estimated 1.36 million new cases and almost 700,000 deaths annually. Approximately 21% of patients with CRC have metastatic disease at diagnosis. The objective of this article is to review the literature on the efficacy and safety of oral drugs available for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Several such drugs have been developed, and fluoropyrimidines are the backbone of chemotherapy in this indication. They exert their antitumour activity by disrupting the synthesis and function of DNA and RNA. Oral fluoropyrimidines include prodrugs capecitabine, tegafur, eniluracil/5-fluorouracil, tegafur/uracil, tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil and trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI). Oral drugs offer several advantages over injectable formulations, including convenience, flexibility, avoidance of injection-related adverse events (AEs) and, in some circumstances, lower costs. However, oral drugs may not be suitable for patients with gastrointestinal obstruction or malabsorption, they may result in reduced treatment adherence and should not be co-administered with drugs that interfere with absorption or hepatic metabolism. Oral fluoropyrimidines such as capecitabine, as monotherapy or in combination with oxaliplatin, irinotecan or bevacizumab, are as effective as intravenous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in first-line treatment of mCRC. Other oral fluoropyrimidines, such as FTD/TPI, are effective in patients with mCRC who are refractory, intolerant or ineligible for 5-FU. In addition, oral fluoropyrimidines are used in adjuvant treatment of mCRC. Regorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor used in patients in whom several previous lines of therapy have failed. Frequent AEs associated with oral drugs used in the treatment of CRC include hand-foot syndrome and gastrointestinal and haematological toxicities.

5-fluorouracil and other fluoropyrimidines in colorectal cancer: Past, present and future

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an essential component of systemic chemotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the palliative and adjuvant settings. Over the past four decades, several modulation strategies including the implementation of 5-FU-based combination regimens and 5-FU pro-drugs have been developed and tested to increase the anti-tumor activity of 5-FU and to overcome the clinical resistance. Despite the encouraging progress in CRC therapy to date, the patients' response rates to therapy continue to remain low and the patients' benefit from 5-FU-based therapy is frequently compromised by the development of chemoresistance. Inter-individual differences in the treatment response in CRC patients may originate in the unique genetic and epigenetic make-up of each individual. The critical element in the current trend of personalized medicine is the proper comprehension of causes and mechanisms contributing to the low or lack of sensitivity of tumor tissue to 5-FU-based therapy. The identification and validation of predictive biomarkers for existing 5-FU-based and new targeted therapies for CRC treatment will likely improve patients' outcomes in the future. Herein we present a comprehensive review summarizing options of CRC treatment and the mechanisms of 5-FU action at the molecular level, including both anabolic and catabolic ways. The main part of this review comprises the currently known molecular mechanisms underlying the chemoresistance in CRC patients. We also focus on various 5-FU pro-drugs developed to increase the amount of circulating 5-FU and to limit toxicity. Finally, we propose future directions of personalized CRC therapy according to the latest published evidence.

Cantharidin combined with chemotherapy for Chinese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

This systematic analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cantharidin combined with chemotherapy in treating Chinese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

METHODS

Clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of cantharidin combined with chemotherapy on response and safety for Chinese patients with colorectal cancer were identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled response rate (RR) of treatment were calculated.

RESULTS

When cantharidin combined with chemotherapy, 4 clinical studies which included 155 patients with advanced colorectal cancer were considered eligible for inclusion. The systematic analysis suggested that, in all patients, pooled RR was 46.5% (72/155) in cantharidin combined regimens. Major adverse effects were neutropenia, leukopenia, fatigue, and anemia with cantharidin combined treatment; no treatment related deaths occurred.

CONCLUSION

This systematic analysis suggests that cantharidin combined regimens are associated with high response rate and accepted toxicity in treating Chinese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer suggesting that randomized clinical trials are now warranted.

Capecitabine and irinotecan with bevacizumab 2-weekly for metastatic colorectal cancer: the phase II AVAXIRI study

Background

The optimal sequence of chemotherapeutic agents is not firmly established for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). This phase II multi-centre study investigated the efficacy and tolerability of a standard capecitabine plus irinotecan (XELIRI) regimen with bevacizumab in previously untreated patients with mCRC.

Methods

Patients received intravenous irinotecan 175 mg/m² on day 1 and oral capecitabine 1000 mg/m² (800 mg/m² for patients >65 years of age) twice daily on days 2–8, followed by a 1-week rest, and bevacizumab 5 mg/kg as an intravenous infusion on day 1 every 2 weeks.

Results

Seventy-seven patients were included in the intention-to-treat and safety populations. Progression-free survival at 9 months was 61%. The overall response and disease control rates were 51% and 84%, respectively. Median progression-free and overall survival times were 11.9 and 24.8 months, respectively. 48 patients (62%) had at least one grade 3/4 adverse event, the most common being asthenia, diarrhoea and neutropenia. Quality of life varied little over the study period with mean visual analogue scale general health scores ranging from 71 to 76 over cycles 1–11.

Conclusion

Our study found irinotecan and capecitabine administered fortnightly with bevacizumab in patients with mCRC to be an effective and tolerable regimen.

Trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00875771. Trial registration date: 04/02/2009.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1293-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

HGUE-C-1 is an atypical and novel colon carcinoma cell line

Background

Colorectal carcinoma is a common cause of cancer. Adjuvant treatments include: 5-fluorouracil administered together with folinic acid, or more recently, oral fluoropyrimidines such as capecitabine, in combination with oxaliplatin or irinotecan. Metastatic colorectal cancer patients can benefit from other additional treatments such as cetuximab or bevacizumab.

Methods

Using cell culture techniques, we isolated clonal populations from primary cultures of ascitic effusion derived from a colon cancer patient and after several passages an established cell line, HGUE-C-1, was obtained. Genetic analysis of HGUE-C-1 cells was performed by PCR of selected exons and sequencing. Cell proliferation studies were performed by MTT assays and cell cycle analyses were performed by flow cytometry. Retinoblastoma activity was measured by luciferase assays and proteins levels and activity were analysed by Western blot or immunohistochemistry.

Results

We have established a new cell line from ascitic efussion of a colon cancer patient who did not respond to 5-fluorouracil or irinotecan. HGUE-C-1 cells did not show microsatellite instability and did not harbour mutations in KRAS, BRAF, PI3KCA or TP53. However, these cells showed loss of heterozygosity affecting Adenomatous Polyposis Coli and nuclear staining of β-catenin protein. The HGUE-C-1 cell line was sensitive to erlotinib, gefitinib, NVP-BEZ235, rapamycin and trichostatin, among other drugs, but partially resistant to heat shock protein inhibitors and highly resistant to AZD-6244 and oxaliplatin, even though the patient from which this cell line was derived had not been exposed to these drugs. Molecular characterization of this cell line revealed low expression levels and activity of Retinoblastoma protein and elevated basal levels of Erk1/2 activity and p70S6K expression and activity, which may be related to chemoresistance mechanisms.

Conclusions

HGUE-C-1 represents a novel and peculiar colon carcinoma model to study chemoresistance to chemotherapeutic agents and to novel anti-neoplasic drugs that interrupt signalling pathways such as the APC/βcatenin, Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk, PI3K/mTOR/p70S6K pathways as well as histone regulation mechanisms.

A phase I/II study of biweekly capecitabine and irinotecan plus bevacizumab as second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Background

Triweekly capecitabine plus irinotecan (XELIRI) is not completely regarded as a valid substitute for fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) because of the potential for greater toxicity. We conducted a phase I/II study to assess the efficacy and safety of biweekly XELIRI plus bevacizumab (BV) as second-line chemotherapy for mCRC.

Methods

Patients with mCRC who had received prior chemotherapy including oxaliplatin and BV and had a UGT1A1 genotype of wild-type or heterozygous for UGT1A1*6 or *28 were eligible for this study. Treatment comprised capecitabine 1,000 mg/m² twice daily from the evening of day 1 to the morning of day 8, intravenous irinotecan on day 1, and BV 5 mg/kg on day 1 every 2 weeks. The phase I study consisted of two steps (irinotecan 150 and 180 mg/m²), and dose-limiting toxicity was assessed during the first treatment cycle. The primary endpoint of the phase II study was progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

The recommended dose of irinotecan was determined to be 180 mg/m² in the phase I study. Between November 2010 and August 2013, 44 patients were enrolled in phase II. The patients’ characteristics were as follows (N=44): median age, 60 years (range 32–80); male/female, 21/23; and UGT1A1 wild-type/heterozygous, 29/15. The median PFS was 6.8 months (95% confidence interval, 5.3–8.2 months), and the primary endpoint was met. Median overall survival was 18.3 months. The response rate was 22.7%. There was no significant difference in PFS or overall survival according to UGT1A1 status. Grade 3 or higher adverse events were mainly neutropenia in six patients and diarrhea in five patients. There were no other severe adverse events or treatment-related deaths.

Conclusion

In mCRC patients with wild-type or heterozygous UGT1A1*6 or *28 genotype, biweekly XELIRI + BV is effective and feasible as second-line chemotherapy. Biweekly XELIRI + BV is considered a valid substitute for FOLFIRI + BV in mCRC.

Phase II study of weekly irinotecan and capecitabine treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer patients

Background

The purpose of this phase II study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of weekly irinotecan and capecitabine (wXELIRI) treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, specifically the rate of severe diarrhea.

Methods

Patients with unresectable histologically confirmed metastatic colorectal cancer with measurable disease received weekly irinotecan 90 mg/m² on day 1 and capecitabine 1200 mg/m² twice daily on days 1–5. Patients naïve to systemic chemotherapy for metastatic disease or who had failed FOLFOX (infusional 5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) or XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) as first-line treatment were eligible. The primary endpoint was the rate of grade 3/4 diarrhea. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety.

Results

A total of 52 patients were enrolled, 30 of whom received wXELIRI as first-line treatment and 22 as second-line treatment. Grade 4 diarrhea was observed in one patient and the rate of grade 3/4 diarrhea was 7.7%. The other common grade 3/4 toxicities included leukopenia (9.6%), neutropenia (17.3%), nausea (3.8%), vomiting (3.8%), fatigue (1.9%), and hand-foot syndrome (1.9%). The median progression-free survival and overall survival for the 30 patients treated in the first-line setting was 8.5 and 16.3 months, while those for the 22 patients treated in the second-line setting was 5.0 and 10.7 months, respectively.

Conclusions

The wXELIRI regimen resulted in a low rate of severe diarrhea with an acceptable toxicity profile. This study provides a basis for a subsequent randomized controlled study of wXELIRI versus FOLFIRI (irinotecan, 5-FU, and folinic acid) to further explore the efficacy and safety of this regimen.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01322152.

Should capecitabine replace 5-fluorouracil in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer?

Fluoropyrimidines play a central role in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Our aim was to review whether capecitabine was a safer, non-inferior, economically superior and more convenient alternative to 5-fluorouracil. Capecitabine has previously been compared to 5-fluorouracil-either as a monotherapy or in combination with oxaliplatin, irinotecan, or biological drugs-and has been found to have comparable efficacy and safety profiles. Furthermore, pharmacoeconomic data and patients’ preferences for oral chemotherapy further favor capecitabine. Therefore, capecitabine appears to be an effective and safe alternative to fluorouracil in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Management of advanced colorectal cancer, Part 1

PURPOSE

Important developments in chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer over the past 15 years are reviewed, with an emphasis on the most recently published data from clinical trials of newer multidrug regimens, administration techniques, and dosing schedules.

SUMMARY

Eight agents are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in treating patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Fluorouracil and leucovorin still constitute the foundation of most chemotherapy regimens for this population; combination fluorouracil-leucovorin therapy plus either irinotecan (the FOLFIRI regimen) or oxaliplatin (the FOLFOX regimen) are two firmly established first-line treatments shown to produce similar outcomes. In Phase III trials conducted over the past six to seven years, regimens of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CapeOx) were demonstrated to have clinical effectiveness comparable to that of FOLFOX therapy. Response rates of 35-55% and median overall survival of ≥20 months have been documented with some of the newer regimens. Research to define the optimal role of the three monoclonal antibody agents approved by FDA for use in managing advanced colorectal cancer is ongoing; bevacizumab has been shown to confer significant survival benefits when added to certain chemotherapy regimens, and other monoclonal antibodies (cetuximab and panitumumab) also appear to offer significant benefits in select patients as first- or second-line therapies.

CONCLUSION

Over the past 15 years, a shift toward multiagent treatment strategies including a variety of chemotherapy agents and monoclonal antibodies has yielded improved rates of response and prolonged survival among patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The CapeOx, FOLFOX, and FOLFIRI regimens are currently among the most widely used first-line treatments.

Bevacizumab in Combination with Capecitabine plus Irinotecan as First-Line Therapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of 2 Phase II Trials

BACKGROUND

Although phase III studies have investigated the effect of adding bevacizumab to the 3-weekly capecitabine plus irinotecan (XELIRI) combination in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), no phase III studies investigating the effects of adding bevacizumab to biweekly XELIRI have been published.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective pooled analysis of 2 single-arm phase II studies was performed. Previously untreated patients with mCRC received irinotecan 175 mg/m(2) on day 1 followed by capecitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 2-8 every 2 weeks with or without bevacizumab 5 mg/kg on day 1.

RESULTS

In total, 53 patients received XELIRI, and 46 patients received XELIRI plus bevacizumab. There was a statistically significant increase in partial response rate with XELIRI plus bevacizumab (63 vs. 26% for XELIRI; p = 0.0002) and overall response rate (67 vs. 32%; p = 0.0005). Median time to disease progression was significantly longer with XELIRI plus bevacizumab (12.3 vs. 9.0 months for XELIRI; p = 0.012); median overall survival did not differ significantly between treatments (23.7 vs. 19.3 months; p = 0.4997). The proportion of patients experiencing at least 1 grade 3/4 adverse event was similar with both treatments (XELIRI, 47%; XELIRI plus bevacizumab, 44%).

CONCLUSION

This retrospective pooled analysis suggests that XELIRI plus bevacizumab has an acceptable tolerability profile and improves efficacy outcomes compared with XELIRI in the first-line treatment of mCRC.

The drug cocktail network

Background

Combination of different agents is widely used in clinic to combat complex diseases with improved therapy and reduced side effects. However, the identification of effective drug combinations remains a challenging task due to the huge number of possible combinations among candidate drugs that makes it impractical to screen putative combinations.

Results

In this work, we construct a 'drug cocktail network' using all the known effective drug combinations extracted from the Drug Combination Database (DCDB), and propose a network-based approach to investigate drug combinations. Our results show that the agents in an effective combination tend to have more similar therapeutic effects and share more interaction partners. Based on our observations, we further develop a statistical approach termed as DCPred (Drug Combination Predictor) to predict possible drug combinations by exploiting the topological features of the drug cocktail network. Validating on the known drug combinations, DCPred achieves the overall AUC (Area Under the receiver operating characteristic Curve) score of 0.92, indicating the predictive power of our proposed approach.

Conclusions

The drug cocktail network constructed in this work provides useful insights into the underlying rules of effective drug combinations and offer important clues to accelerate the future discovery of new drug combinations.

Caplri (XelIri) Regimen for Advanced and Metastatic Colorectal or Esophogastric Cancer

The complexity of cancer chemotherapy requires pharmacists be familiar with the complicated regimens and highly toxic agents used. This column reviews various issues related to preparation, dispensing, and administration of antineoplastic therapy, and the agents, both commercially available and investigational, used to treat malignant diseases.

Feasibility of biweekly combination chemotherapy with capecitabine, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin in patients with metastatic solid tumors: results of a two-step phase I trial: XELIRI and XELIRINOX

BACKGROUND

Biweekly schedule of capecitabine combined with irinotecan (XELIRI), consecutively with irinotecan and oxaliplatin (XELIRINOX), was evaluated in patients with metastatic cancer from any solid tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this two-step phase I trial, seventeen and eleven patients were enrolled in the XELIRI and XELIRINOX stages, respectively.

RESULTS

In XELIRI, a total of 136 chemotherapy cycles were administered with a median number of 8 cycles per patient (2-16). Main dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) were grade 3-4 neutropenia, with one toxicity-related death. Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for capecitabine combined with 180 mg/m(2) of irinotecan was 3,500 mg/m(2)/day. In XELIRINOX, capecitabine starting dose was 2,500 mg/m(2)/day. Fifty-eight chemotherapy cycles were administered with a median of 4 cycles per patient (1-16). DLT included 3 grade 4 neutropenia, associated with 1 grade 3 diarrhea, and 1 grade 4 pneumopathy leading to patient death. MTD for capecitabine with 180 mg/m(2) of irinotecan and 85 mg/m(2) of oxaliplatin was 3,000 mg/m(2)/day. The recommended doses for capecitabine were 3,000 and 2,500 mg/m(2)/day D1-D7 in combination with 180 mg/m(2) of irinotecan in XELIRI, plus 85 mg/m(2) of oxaliplatin in XELIRINOX (D1 = D14), respectively.

CONCLUSION

XELIRI and XELIRINOX regimens are feasible and warrant further investigation in combination with targeted therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

Bevacizumab in combination with biweekly capecitabine and irinotecan, as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Combination of capecitabine and irinotecan (XELIRI regimen) is an active and well tolerated treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this regimen in combination with bevacizumab (BV), as first-line treatment for mCRC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 46 consecutive patients received a combination of BV (5 mg kg⁻¹, day 1), irinotecan (175 mg m⁻², day 1) and capecitabine (1000 mg m⁻² twice daily on day 2-8), every 2 weeks. Patients were treated until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary objective was to determine the progression-free survival (PFS) and safety profile.

RESULTS

The overall response rate (ORR) was 67.4%, with a disease control rate (ORR+stable disease) of 93.5%. Median PFS and overall survival (OS) were 12.3 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.5-18.1 months) and 23.7 months (95% CI: 16.7-30.6 months), respectively. The most frequent grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were asthenia (7%), diarrhoea (7%), nausea (9%) and vomiting (7%).

CONCLUSION

Bevacizumab combined with biweekly XELIRI is a highly active first-line regimen for mCRC treatment, showing encouraging PFS, ORR and OS with a good tolerability.

Capecitabine for locally advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer: A review

Capecitabine (Xeloda^®) is an oral fluoropyrimidine which is produced as a pro-drug of fluorouracil, and shows improved tolerability and intratumor drug concentrations following its tumor-specific conversion to the active drug. We have searched the Pubmed and Cochrane databases from 1980 to 2009 with the purpose of reviewing all available information on Capecitabine, focusing on its clinical effectiveness against colorectal cancer. Special attention has been paid to trials that compared Capecitabine with standard folinic acid (leucovorin, LV)-modulated intravenous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) bolus regimens in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Moreover the efficacy of Capecitabine on metastatic colorectal cancer, either alone or in various combinations with other active drugs such as Irinotecan and Oxaliplatin was also assessed. Finally, neoadjuvant therapy consisting of Capecitabine plus radiation therapy, for locally advanced rectal cancer was analysed. This combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy has a special role in tumor down staging and in sphincter preservation for lower rectal tumors. Comparative trials have shown that Capecitabine is at least equivalent to the standard LV-5-FU combination in relation to progression-free and overall survival whilst showing a better tolerability profile with a much lower incidence of stomatitis. It is now known that Capecitabine can be combined with other active drugs such as Irinotecan and Oxaliplatin. The combination of Oxaliplatin with Capecitabine represents a new standard of care for metastatic colorectal cancer. Combinating the Capecitabine-Oxaliplatin regimen with promising new biological drugs such as Bevacizumab seems to give a realistic prospect of further improvement in time to progression of metastatic disease. Moreover, preoperative chemo-radiation using oral capecitabine is better tolerated than bolus 5-FU and is more effective in the promotion of both down-staging and sphincter preservation in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Finally, the outcomes of recently published trials suggest that capecitabine seems to be more cost effective than other standard treatments for the management of patients with colorectal cancer.