S-1 as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer: a randomized phase III study (ACTS-CC trial)

Phase II Trial of Adjuvant S-1 Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Surgery in Patients with Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The PIECE Trial

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (NAC-S) is the standard therapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Japan.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this phase II trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of the addition of adjuvant S-1 after R0 resection in ESCC patients who received NAC-S.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Key eligibility criteria included clinical stage IB-III (without T4 disease) ESCC, age 20-75 years, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1. Patients received adjuvant therapy with four cycles of S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) administered orally for 4 weeks of 6-week cycles. The primary endpoint was 3 year relapse-free survival (RFS). If the lower confidence limit for 3 year RFS was >50%, we judged that the primary endpoint of this study was met.

RESULTS

A total of 52 patients were enrolled between January 2016 and January 2019. Two patients were excluded from analysis; five patients were determined to have R1 or R2 resection, and seven patients did not receive adjuvant S-1. The 3-year RFS and overall survival rates in the intention-to-treat population were 72.3% (90% confidence interval [CI] 59.9-81.5) and 85.0% (90% CI 73.9-91.6), indicating that the primary endpoint was met. Grade ≥3 adverse events with an incidence ≥10% included neutropenia (13.2%), anorexia (13.2%), and diarrhea (10.5%). There were no treatment-related deaths.

CONCLUSION

Adjuvant S-1 after NAC-S showed promising efficacy with a manageable safety profile for patients with resectable ESCC and warrants further evaluation in larger studies.

Tissue morphometric measurements do not predict survival following colorectal cancer surgery

BACKGROUND

Ex vivo tissue morphometric (TM) measurements have been proposed as a quality marker for colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery. However, their survival associations require clarification. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of capturing TM measurements based on ex vivo fresh specimen images and explore the association between these TM measurements and survival outcomes.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study at Concord Hospital, Sydney was conducted with Stage I to III CRC patients (2009-2019) who underwent an anterior resection (AR) or right hemicolectomy (RH). Using high-resolution digital photographs of fresh CRC specimens, ex vivo tissue morphometric (TM) measurements-resected mesentery area (TM A), distances from high vascular tie to tumour (TM B) and bowel wall (TM C), and bowel length (TM D)-were recorded using Image J. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) estimates and their associations to clinicopathological variables were investigated with Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Linear regression models tested association between TM measurements and lymph node (LN) yield.

RESULTS

Of the 1,425 patients who underwent CRC surgery, TM measurements were performed on 312 patients, with an average age of 69.4 years (SD 12.3), of whom 52.9% were male. The majority had an AR (57.8%). Among AR patients, a 5-year OS rate of 77.4% and a DFS rate of 70.1% were observed, with TM measurements bearing no relationship to survival outcomes. Similarly, RH patients exhibited a 5-year OS rate of 67.2% and a DFS rate of 63.1%, with TM measurements again showing no association with survival. Only TM D (P = 0.02) measurements were associated with the number of LNs examined.

CONCLUSION

This study successfully demonstrates the feasibility of measuring TM measurements on photographs of ex vivo fresh specimens following CRC surgery. The lack of association with survival outcomes questions the utility of TM measurements as a quality metric of CRC surgery.

Accrual and statistical power failure in published adjuvant phase III oncology trials: a comprehensive analysis from 2013 to 2023

BACKGROUND

In a competitive landscape with many ongoing adjuvant randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the prevalence of trials that failed to recruit their targeted sample size and were inadequately powered is unclear. The aims of the study are (i) to determine the percentage of trials with accrual and statistical power failure and (ii) to evaluate their potential impact on the drug development process.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review was carried out to identify adjuvant phase III oncology RCTs reported between 2013 and 2023 across all solid tumours. No restrictions were applied regarding the type of intervention or journal of publication. The percentage of trials with accrual failure and power failure was estimated as well as their association with the efficacy endpoints. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

A total of 282 RCTs met the inclusion criteria with a median sample size of 661 patients and a median accrual period of 4.3 years. Most of these studies were superiority trials (83.0%). Accrual failure was observed in 22.0% of the studies, finishing recruitment without achieving the targeted sample size. Overall, 39.7% of the studies experienced power failure, having less power than specified in the protocol at the date of the read-out. Among superiority RCTs evaluating intermediate survival endpoints, only 31.1% presented statistically significant results. Trials with power failure were less likely to present statistically significant results (37.9% versus 21.9%, P = 0.04). The association was consistent across all cancer types. In the subset of non-inferiority trials, 35.0% formally demonstrated non-inferiority of the experimental arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly 40% of adjuvant phase III RCTs experienced power failure, and the reduction in power significantly impacted the final study results. There is a need for procedural refinements in the design and implementation of future adjuvant RCTs to mitigate these fallacies.

Survival outcomes of patients with stage III colorectal cancer aged ≥ 80 years who underwent curative resection: the HiSCO-04 prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly patients aged ≥ 80 years with stage III colorectal cancer remains unclear. In parallel with a multicenter prospective phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of uracil-tegafur and leucovorin as adjuvant chemotherapy (HiSCO-03), we conducted a prospective observational study of these patients to assess survival outcomes, including those ineligible for chemotherapy.

METHODS

This multi-institutional prospective cohort study included 17 institutions in Hiroshima, Japan. Patients aged ≥ 80 years with stage III colorectal cancer who underwent curative resection were enrolled. The primary endpoint was 3-year disease-free survival, and the secondary endpoints were 3-year overall and relapse-free survival. Propensity score matching was used to assess the effects of adjuvant chemotherapy on survival outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 214 patients were analyzed between 2013 and 2018, including 99 males and 115 females with a median age of 84 years (range 80-101 years). Recurrence occurred in 58 patients and secondary cancers were observed in 17. The 3-year disease-free, overall, and relapse-free survival rates were 63.3%, 76.9%, and 62.9%, respectively. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 65 patients with a completion rate of 52%. In a study of 80 patients that adjusted for background factors using propensity score matching, patients who completed the planned treatment showed improved disease-free survival (3-year disease-free survival: completed, 80.0%; not received, 65.5%; and discontinued, 56.3%; p = 0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

Completion of adjuvant chemotherapy may improve the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer aged ≥ 80 years, although the number of patients who would benefit from it is limited.

Exploratory randomized phase II trial for optimizing treatment dosage and duration of adjuvant S-1 plus oxaliplatin in patients with stage III colon cancer: YCOG1402 (SOAP trial)

Introduction

Conventionally, the recommended duration of adjuvant chemotherapy of colon cancer had been 6 months. The IDEA Collaboration suggested that shortening capecitabin and oxaliplatin (CAPOX) adjuvant chemotherapy may be possible. S-1 and oxaliplatin (SOX) treatment is standard treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer in Japan. The aim of this study was to optimize treatment dosage and duration of adjuvant SOX in stage III colon cancer.

Methods

This trial was as open-label multi-center randomized phase II study. Patients with stage III colon cancer were randomly assigned to 3 months or 6 months of adjuvant SOX treatment in different doses: 130 mg/m2 (3 months) or 100 mg/m2 (6 months) of oxaliplatin. The primary endpoint was 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) and the null hypothesis for the primary endpoint was that the 3-year DFS was ≤72% in each arm and was tested with a one-sided significance level of 10%.

Results

Eighty-two patients were assigned to the 6 months arm and 81 to the 3 months arm. The 3-year DFS was 75.0% (80% CI 67.95-80.72, p = 0.282) in the 6 months arm and 76.9% (80% CI 70.1-82.38, p = 0.171) in the 3 months arm. Treatment completion rate and relative dose intensity (RDI) were higher in 3 months than 6 months arm. The adverse events (AE) were similar in both arms.

Conclusions

The 3-year DFS was not significantly superior to null hypothesis in both 3 months and 6 months arms for the stage III colon cancer. Primary endpoint was not achieved. The SOX regimen was not feasible in long-term outcomes.

Influence of the no-touch isolation technique on oncologic outcomes for patients with colon cancer undergoing curative surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To explore the influence of the no-touch isolation technique (NTIT) on oncologic outcomes for patients with colon cancer (CC) undergoing curative surgery.

BACKGROUND

Although several studies have investigated this topic, there have been no meta-analyses exploring the influence of NTIT on oncologic outcomes for these patients.

METHODS

We performed a comprehensive electronic literature search of studies published prior to March 2022 to identify those that compared oncologic outcomes for patients with CC who did or did not undergo NTIT. We conducted a meta-analysis using a random-effects model to calculate risk ratio (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), analyzing heterogeneity using I2 statistics.

RESULTS

Four studies involving a total of 2885 patients with CC who underwent curative surgery met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 76.6% for patients with CC who underwent NTIT and 77.2% for those who did not. A meta-analysis of the 3 studies that reported 5-year OS revealed no significant difference between groups (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.62-1.16; P = 0.30; I2 = 70%). In addition, there were no significant differences in 5-year recurrence-free survival (RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.93-1.48; P = 0.19; I2 = 45%), and 5-year liver recurrence-free survival (RR, 0.95; 95% CI 0.62, 1.46; P = 0.82; I2 = 65%).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of NTIT has no significant influence on oncologic outcomes for patients with CC undergoing curative surgery.

The Clinical Impact of Apical Lymph Node Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer After Curative Resection

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to investigate the clinical implications of apical lymph node metastasis (ALNM) after curative resection of stage III colorectal cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted of 1403 consecutive colorectal cancer patients who underwent surgical resection at a single institution between April 2008 and January 2020. The characteristics of ALNM, the recurrence status and the relapse-free survival (RFS) were examined.

RESULTS

The numbers of patients with stage ≤ I, II, III, and IV disease were 350, 437, 476, and 140 patients, respectively. Among these patients with stage III disease, ALNM was seen in 21 patients (4.4% of stage III patients). Among them, curative resection was performed in 19 patients. Recurrence was observed in 68% (13/19) of the patients with ALNM who received curative resection. The first sites of recurrence included the lymph nodes 53.8% (7/13), liver 30.8% (4/13), lung 15.4% (2/13), brain 7.7% (1/13), bone 7.7% (1/13), and peritoneum 7.7% (1/13). There was no significant difference in the RFS of patients with ALNM who were managed with or without adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.207). Furthermore, the RFS of the group managed without adjuvant chemotherapy and the group that received adjuvant chemotherapy with/without oxaliplatin did not differ to a statistically significant extent (P = 0.318). In stage III colorectal cancer patients with ALNM, recurrence was observed significantly more frequently in comparison to stage III colorectal cancer patients without ALNM (P = 0.007). The first site of recurrence in patients with ALNM was most frequently seen in the distant lymph nodes (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that ALNM is strongly associated with recurrence in the distant lymph nodes and that it may lead to the development of systemic disease. The current regimen for stage III colorectal cancer may therefore not be sufficient for patients with stage III ALNM.

A prospective feasibility study of uracil-tegafur and leucovorin as adjuvant chemotherapy for patients aged ≥ 80 years after curative resection of colorectal cancer, the HiSCO-03 study

PURPOSE

There is no consensus on the safety and effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage III colorectal cancer (CRC) aged ≥ 80 years. We conducted a prospective multi-institutional phase II study of uracil-tegafur and leucovorin (UFT/LV) as adjuvant chemotherapy in this population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with stage III CRC aged ≥ 80 years who underwent curative resection were enrolled. Eligible patients received UFT/LV therapy (UFT, 300 mg/m² per day as tegafur; LV, 75 mg/day on days 1-28, every 35 days for five courses). Primary endpoint was feasibility, and secondary endpoints were safety and relative dose intensity.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine patients were enrolled between 2013 and 2021. Of the 69 patients, 65 were included in the analysis. There were 32 males and 33 females with a median age of 82 years (range 80-88 years). In the primary endpoint, administration completion rate was 67.3% (95% confidence interval 54.9-77.6%), and the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval was below the threshold of 60%. 21 patients discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs) and refused treatment. The median relative dose intensities were 84% (range 4-100%) for UFT, and 100% (range 4-100%) for LV. Incidence of grade three or higher AEs were neutropenia (1.5%), aspartate transaminase elevation (3%), alanine transaminase elevation (1.5%), oral mucositis (3%), anemia (1.5%), and diarrhea (4.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

The indications for adjuvant UFT/LV therapy for elderly CRC aged ≥ 80 years were considered limited. It is necessary to clarify the background of patients in whom drug administration is discontinued and investigate their impact on long-term prognosis.

Real impact of oxaliplatin in adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage III colon cancer based on the Multi-Institutional Registry of Large Bowel Cancer in Japan

Although fluoropyrimidine plus oxaliplatin is the standard of care for stage III colon cancer, fluoropyrimidine alone is also recommended for stage III patients in Japanese and other practice guidelines. We assessed efficacy of adjuvant fluoropyrimidine with or without oxaliplatin across a population of patients with stage III colon cancer in the Multi-Institutional Registry of Large Bowel Cancer in Japan. From the registry, we analyzed 6,834 stage III colorectal cancer patients. Approximately 70% of colorectal cancer patients received some form of chemotherapy. Of these, we analyzed those who received adjuvant chemotherapy between 2008 and 2011. Based on the TNM classification, the 5-year overall survival rates of colon and rectal cancer after the covariate adjustment by regimens of adjuvant chemotherapy were 95.7% with fluoropyrimidines and 90.6% with oxaliplatin-combined therapy at stage IIIA (Stratified log-rank P < 0.001), 86.5% and 80.8% at stage IIIB (P < 0.001), and 72.1% and 70.7% at stage IIIC (P < 0.001), respectively. Oxaliplatin did not enhance efficacy with regard to relapse-free survival as well as overall survival. Adjuvant fluoropyrimidine monotherapy and fluoropyrimidine plus oxaliplatin show comparable efficacy benefits for the treatment of stage III of Japanese colon cancer patients. This supports the use of fluoropyrimidine alone as a standard option for this patient group in Japan.

Prognostic Value of Preoperative Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Levels for Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II Colorectal Cancer: A Nationwide Multicenter Retrospective Study

Objectives

Adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II colorectal cancer patients with high-risk factors for recurrence can be useful; however, its advantage in prognosis remains to be controversial. Thus, in this study, we aimed to assess whether a combination of preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels can predict the prognosis and advantage of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods

Using a Japanese nationwide database, in total, 3,688 patients with curative resected stage II colorectal cancer were registered retrospectively between 2008 and 2012 in 24 referral institutions. Patients were classified into three groups as follows: Group A (both non-high levels of CEA and CA19-9), Group B (either high levels of CEA or CA19-9), and Group C (both high levels of CEA and CA19-9).

Results

Multivariable Cox regression analysis, adjusting the depth of tumor invasion, number of dissected lymph nodes, tumor differentiation, lymphatic and venous invasion, and other covariates, showed that the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were shorter in Group C than in Groups A and B. Furthermore, in Group C, the 5-year disease-free survival rate was improved in the surgery-plus-AC group compared to the surgery-alone group.

Conclusions

As with existing high-risk factors for recurrence, the combination assessment of preoperative serum CEA and CA19-9 can predict the prognosis for colorectal cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy may provide a prolonged disease-free survival advantage in stage II colorectal cancer patients with high levels of both tumor markers.

Cost-effectiveness of 12 months of capecitabine as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer: preplanned cost-effectiveness analysis of the JFMC37-0801 study

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of a 12-month regimen of oral capecitabine versus a standard 6-month regimen as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer.

METHODS

We utilized patient-level data from a multi-institutional randomized controlled trial (JFMC37-0801) that investigated prolonged oral fluoropyrimidine monotherapy. The analysis considered three health states: stable disease, post-metastasis, and death. A parametric statistical model with a cure model was used to estimate the survival curve. The analysis was conducted from the Japanese public healthcare payer's perspective, considering only direct medical costs. A lifetime horizon was used, with a discount rate of 2% for both cost and health outcomes. Health outcomes were evaluated in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs).

RESULTS

The estimated cure rates for colon cancer were 0.726 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.676-0.776] and 0.694 (95% CI 0.655-0.733) with the 12- and 6-month regimens, respectively; and the estimated 5-year relapse-free survival rates were 74.4% and 69.8%, respectively. The estimated lifetime cost for 12 months of capecitabine was JPY 3.365 million (USD 31,159), compared with JPY 3.376 million (USD 31,262) for 6 months. The estimated QALY were 12.48 and 11.77 for the 12- and 6-month regimens, respectively. Thus, the 12-month capecitabine regimen was dominant. Using a willingness-to-pay threshold of JPY 5 million per QALY, we determined a 97.4% probability that the 12-month capecitabine regimen is more cost-effective than the 6-month regimen.

CONCLUSIONS

Twelve months of capecitabine is the favorable option for postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer from the perspective of cost-effectiveness.

Prospective observational study of the efficacy of oral uracil and tegafur plus leucovorin for stage II colon cancer with risk factors for recurrence using propensity score matching (JFMC46-1201)

Background

The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for high-risk stage II colon cancer (CC) has not been well established. We compared the effects of surgery with and without oral uracil and tegafur plus leucovorin (UFT/LV) in patients with high-risk stage II CC, adjusting for potential risk factors.

Methods

We enrolled patients with histologically confirmed stage II colon adenocarcinoma with at least one of the following conditions: T4 disease, perforation/penetration, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma/mucinous carcinoma, or < 12 dissected lymph nodes. Patients chose to be non-randomized or randomized to undergo surgery alone (NR-Group S or R-Group S) or surgery followed by 6 months of UFT/LV (NR-Group U or R-Group U). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS) after adjusting for previously reported risk factors using propensity score matching (1:2) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) in the non-randomized arm.

Results

Overall, 1,902 (98%) and 36 (2%) patients were enrolled in the non-randomized and randomized arms, respectively. There were too few patients in the randomized arm and these were therefore excluded from the analysis. Of the 1,902 patients, 402 in NR-Group S and 804 in NR-Group U were propensity score-matched. The 3-year DFS rate (95% confidence interval) was significantly higher in NR-Group U (80.9% [77.9%–83.4%]) than in NR-Group S (74.0% [69.3%–78.0%]) (hazard ratio, 0.64 [0.50–0.83]; P = 0.0006). The 3-year overall survival rate was not significantly different between NR-Group S and NR-Group U. Significantly higher 3-year DFS (P = 0.0013) and overall survival (P = 0.0315) rates were observed in NR-Group U compared with NR-Group S using IPTW.

Conclusions

Adjuvant chemotherapy with UFT/LV showed a significant survival benefit over surgery alone in patients with high-risk stage II CC characterized by at least one of the following conditions: T4 disease, perforation/penetration, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma/mucinous carcinoma, or < 12 dissected lymph nodes.

Trial registration

Japan Registry of Clinical Trials: jRCTs031180155 (date of registration: 25/02/2019) (UMIN Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000007783, date of registration: 18/04/2012).

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09267-z.

Managing 5FU Cardiotoxicity in Colorectal Cancer Treatment

Fluorouracil (5FU) is the backbone chemotherapy agent in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Cardiotoxicity represents an uncommon but serious side effect of treatment with 5FU. Here, we review the current literature on 5FU-cardiotoxicity in the setting of CRC specifically, with a focus on data from the modern era of combination chemotherapy. Despite decades of study, there is little consensus on risk factors and biomarkers for 5FU-cardiotoxicity, nor how patients with CRC should be managed following a cardiotoxicity event. Given the elevated risk of recurrent cardiotoxicity on rechallenge, the use of alternative regimens that do not contain 5FU is a critical aspect of management. Data on the cardiotoxicity risk and efficacy of non-5FU regimens in CRC are therefore reviewed in detail.

Pan-Asian adapted ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis treatment and follow-up of patients with localised colon cancer

The most recent version of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of localised colon cancer was published in 2020. It was decided by both the ESMO and the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology (JSMO) to convene a special virtual guidelines meeting in March 2021 to adapt the ESMO 2020 guidelines to take into account the ethnic differences associated with the treatment of localised colon cancer in Asian patients. These guidelines represent the consensus opinions reached by experts in the treatment of patients with localised colon cancer representing the oncological societies of Japan (JSMO), China (CSCO), India (ISMPO), Korea (KSMO), Malaysia (MOS), Singapore (SSO) and Taiwan (TOS). The voting was based on scientific evidence and was independent of the current treatment practices and drug availability and reimbursement situations in the different Asian countries.

S-1 facilitates canerpaturev (C-REV)-induced antitumor efficacy in a triple-negative breast cancer model

Canerpaturev (C-REV) is a highly attenuated, replication-competent, mutant strain of oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 that may be an effective new cancer treatment option. S-1, an oral formulation containing the 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) prodrug tegafur and the two enzyme modulators gimeracil and oteracil, is used as a key chemotherapeutic agent for metastatic recurrent breast cancer. Although the antitumor effects of oncolytic viruses combined with 5-FU in vivo have been reported, the detailed mechanisms are unknown. Here, we investigated the antitumor mechanism of the combination of C-REV and S-1 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in the context of tumor immunity. The combined effect of C-REV and S-1 was evaluated in a bilateral tumor model of murine TNBC 4T1 in vivo. S-1 enhanced the TNBC growth inhibitory effects of C-REV, and decreased the number of tumor-infiltrating, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which suppress both innate and adaptive immune responses. Moreover, C-REV alone and in combination with S-1 significantly increased the number of CD8⁺ T cells in the tumor and the production of interferon γ (IFNγ) from these cells. Our findings indicate that C-REV suppresses TNBC tumor growth by inducing the expansion of effector CD8⁺ T cell subsets in tumors in which S-1 can inhibit MDSC function. Our study suggests that MDSCs may be an important cellular target for breast cancer treatment. The combination of C-REV and S-1 is a new approach that might be directly translated into future clinical trials against TNBC.

Predictive factors associated with relapse of stage II/III colon cancer treated with peroral anti-cancer agents in the adjuvant setting

Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage III colon cancer (CC) is regarded as the standard treatment worldwide for outcome improvement and relapse prevention. Similarly, high-risk stage II CC requires adjuvant chemotherapy because of its high recurrence rate. Previous randomized controlled trials showed that oxaliplatin (OX), in addition to fluorinated pyrimidine-based therapy for patients with stage II/III CC, significantly improves cancer survival but it remains controversial as to which patient groups should receive OX-containing regimens. Among 1,150 consecutive patients who underwent curative resection for stage II/III CC between 2009 and 2016 at two tertiary hospitals, 349 patients treated with only peroral (PO) fluorinated pyrimidine-based chemotherapy and 149 patients who received fluorinated pyrimidine-based chemotherapy with OX as adjuvant chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome was recurrence-free survival (RFS). Clinicopathological factors were more advanced in patients treated with OX than in patients treated only with PO fluorinated pyrimidine agents. Multivariate analysis for 5-year RFS showed that T4 [hazard ratio (HR), 2.947; P=0.0001], N2 (HR, 2.704; P=0.0075), vessel or lymphatic invasion (HR, 1.675; P=0.0437) and high cancer antigen (CA)19-9 (HR 3.367, P=0.0002) levels were independent risk factors of cancer relapse. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to match clinicopathological differences between the PO and OX groups. After matching, subgroup analysis of the patients showed that greater effects of OX on cancer survival were observed in patients in the OX group with high CA19-9 levels and tended to be associated with T4 and N2 compared with the PO group. Thus, OX-containing regimens should be recommended for patients with CC with these factors in an adjuvant setting.

Tumor budding as a predictive marker for 5-fluorouracil response in adjuvant-treated stage III colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Tumor budding (TB) has been described as an adverse prognostic marker for operable colorectal cancer (CRC); however, a limited number of studies have demonstrated the prognostic significance of TB in patients with drug therapy. This study was conducted to determine the predictive power of TB in stage III CRC patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected clinicopathological data including TB of 237 stage III colorectal cancer patients at Hiroshima University Hospital between July 1, 2006 and June 31, 2019. Differential disease-free survival (DFS) was investigated according to TB status.

RESULTS

This study included 237 patients with a median age of 67 years, comprising patients who underwent surgery alone (n = 65), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) monotherapy (n = 129), and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (n = 43). Overall, 81 patients developed disease recurrence, and 33 patients died of cancer-related causes. The TB status was categorized into two groups: 99 with low budding (< 5 buds) and 138 with high budding (≥ 5 buds). Overall, the low budding cases demonstrated significantly better DFS. In the 5-FU monotherapy group, low-risk patients (T1, T2, or T3 and N1) with low budding showed a remarkably higher 3-year DFS (91%) compared to high budding (55%).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that TB could play a subsidiary role in selecting patients who could maintain a favorable prognosis with 5-FU monotherapy in stage III CRC.

S-1 and oxaliplatin versus tegafur-uracil and leucovorin as post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with high-risk stage III colon cancer: updated 5-year survival of the phase III ACTS-CC 02 trial

Background

The ACTS-CC 02 trial demonstrated that S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) was not superior to tegafur-uracil and leucovorin (UFT/LV) in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) as adjuvant chemotherapy for high-risk stage III colon cancer (any T, N2, or positive nodes around the origin of the feeding arteries). We now report the final overall survival (OS) and subgroup analysis according to the pathological stage (TNM 7th edition) for treatment efficacy.

Patients and methods

Patients who underwent curative resection for pathologically confirmed high-risk stage III colon cancer were randomly assigned to receive either UFT/LV (300 mg/m² of UFT and 75 mg/day of LV on days 1-28, every 35 days, five cycles) or SOX (100 mg/m² of oxaliplatin on day 1 and 80 mg/m²/day of S-1 on days 1-14, every 21 days, eight cycles). The primary endpoint was DFS and the patients’ data were updated in February 2020.

Results

A total of 478 patients in the UFT/LV group and 477 patients in the SOX group were included in the final analysis. With a median follow-up time of 74.3 months, the 5-year DFS rate was 55.2% in the UFT/LV group and 58.1% in the SOX group [stratified hazard ratio (HR) 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76-1.11; P = 0.3973], and the 5-year OS rates were 78.3% and 79.1%, respectively (stratified HR 0.97; 95% CI 0.76-1.24; P = 0.8175). In the subgroup analysis, the 5-year OS rates in patients with T4N2b disease were 51.0% and 64.1% in the UFT/LV and SOX groups, respectively (HR 0.72; 95% CI 0.40-1.31).

Conclusion

Our final analysis reconfirmed that SOX as adjuvant chemotherapy is not superior to UFT/LV in terms of DFS in patients with high-risk stage III colon cancer. The 5-year OS rate was similar in the UFT/LV and SOX groups.

•

This final analysis reconfirmed that SOX is not superior to UFT/LV in high-risk stage III colon cancer in terms of DFS.

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With a median follow-up time of 74.3 months, the 5-year OS rate was similar in both groups.

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The 5-year OS rates in patients with T4N2b disease were 51.0% and 64.1% in the UFT/LV and SOX groups, respectively.

A randomized phase II study of S-1 monotherapy versus cisplatin with vinorelbine for completely resected stage II/IIIA non-small cell lung cancer: rationale and study protocol design for the LOGIK1702 study

Background

The current standard postoperative treatment for stage II-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a regimen of platinum doublet adjuvant chemotherapy. These regimens, which are the same as for solid NSCLC tumors, often cause severe adverse reactions in the treated patients. Therefore, an effective treatment regimen with fewer side effects is needed.

Methods/design

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of S-1 monotherapy (80 mg/m² orally administrated twice daily, at day 1–14, 16 cycles) and cisplatin with vinorelbine combination therapy (cisplatin 80 mg/m² at day 1,vinorelbine 25 mg/m² at day 1, 8, 4 cycles) in patients with II/IIIA stage non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent a total resection. In addition, we will also evaluate the level of treatment side effects by assessing quality of life (QOL), work productivity and activity performance. The primary endpoint is a 2-year relapse free survival (RFS) and the second primary endpoints are 2-year overall survival (OS), rate of treatment completion, safety, work productivity and activity, and quality of adjusted life years (QALY). At the same time, we aim to obtain precise information required to perform future phase 3 randomized controlled trials. The study is designed to estimate the primary endpoint with accuracy determined as the width of its 95% confidence interval to be less than 20%. Recruitment started in May 2017 and is ongoing.

Discussion

This study has been conceived to establish a superior regimen for completely resected NSCLC based on efficacy, safety and QOL.

Trial registration

Registry number: UMIN000027435. Registered May 22, 2017.

Phase I dose escalation study of sorafenib plus S-1 for advanced solid tumors

S-1, an oral pyrimidine fluoride-derived agent, is effective against various cancers. Sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, was found to prolong the survival of various cancers and enhance the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents. We conducted a phase I dose escalation study to determine dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of S-1 when combined with sorafenib for refractory solid tumors. Eligible patients received escalating doses (30, 35, and 40 mg/m² bid) of S-1 Day 1 (D1)-D14 and continuous sorafenib 400 mg bid from cycle 1 D8 every 21 days in a standard 3 + 3 study design. Primary endpoint was MTD. Thirteen patients were enrolled between May 2010 and Feb 2012. DLT developed in two (one grade 3 erythema and one prolonged grade 2 hand-foot-skin reaction) of the 6 patients at 35 mg/m² dose level. One pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET) patient achieved a durable partial response (27.9 months). Four colon cancer patients had stable disease and 3 of them had progression-free survival greater than 6 months. This study determined the recommended (MTD) S-1 dose of 30 mg/m² bid for this regimen. This result warrants further phase II studies for advanced pNET and colon cancer to evaluate the efficacy of this combination.

The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for resected high-risk stage II and stage III colorectal cancer in frail patients

BACKGROUND

The number of frail patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) has increased. Despite evidence-based treatment guidelines, a large proportion of patients with resected CRC do not receive adjuvant chemotherapy in daily practice. This retrospective study aimed to examine the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy for CRC according to frailty.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data from 507 consecutive patients with curatively resected high-risk stage II or stage III CRC between 2009 and 2016. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS): 1 (very fit) to 9 (terminally ill), and frailty was defined as CFS ≥ 4. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between surgery alone and adjuvant chemotherapy in frail and non-frail patients. A cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs), controlling for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Of the 507 patients, 194 (38%) were frail. There were no significant interactions between frailty and adjuvant chemotherapy regarding RFS (P_interaction = 0.59) and OS (P_interaction = 0.81). In multivariable analyses, associations of adjuvant chemotherapy with longer RFS and OS in frail patients (RFS, HR: 0.33, 95% CI 0.15-0.63; OS, HR: 0.23, 95% CI 0.08-0.54) were comparable to non-frail patients (RFS, HR: 0.36, 95% CI 0.22-0.58; OS, HR: 0.34, 95% CI 0.15-0.69). Frail patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were younger and had better nutritional status than those undergoing surgery alone (all P < 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Selected frail patients with CRC may experience a similar survival benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy as non-frail patients. Clinical trials are needed to establish adjuvant chemotherapy for CRC in frail patients.

Usefulness of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography in primary cystadenocarcinoma of the mesentery: a case report

BACKGROUND

Mesenteric cysts have various histological forms, including mesenteric cystadenomas and borderline cystic neoplasms. Primary cystadenocarcinoma of the mesentery is extremely rare; therefore, the clinical and radiological features of this tumor have not been fully elucidated.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 50-year-old Japanese woman had a complaint of a left-sided abdominal distention. Enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a unilocular cystic lesion measuring approximately 10 cm located in the left side of the abdomen. ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) revealed mottled mild FDG uptake in the cyst wall and intense FDG uptake in several mural nodules. The cystic mass with the descending colon was completely removed. Pathological examination of the specimens revealed various histologic patterns of adenocarcinoma, including mucin production in the mural nodules. We eventually diagnosed a primary cystadenocarcinoma arising from the mesentery of the descending colon.

CONCLUSIONS

Malignancy should be suspected in mesenteric or retroperitoneal cystic tumors with high FDG uptake, and complete resection should be performed with adequate margins.

The Optimal Duration of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Colon Cancer

Adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer (UICC stage II and III) has been under investigation over the last 30 years, regarding treatment duration and regimens. In this review, choice of regimen, its duration, possible limitations and future perspectives are discussed. Monotherapy with 5-fluorouracil was followed by addition of oxaliplatin, resulting in improved 3-yr disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates, but also increased peripheral sensory neurotoxicity (PSN). The International Duration Evaluation of Adjuvant therapy (IDEA) collaboration demonstrated less toxicity, especially PSN, when shortening treatment duration to 3 months. However, formally, the anticipated non-inferiority of 3 months with fluoropyrimidine (FP)/oxaliplatin over 6 months (at 3-yr DFS) was not met for all patients groups, although subgroup analyses showed non-inferiority with capecitabine/oxaliplatin (CAPOX) rather than with FOLFOX, and also in relation to the prognostic information (e.g., clinical low-risk group, pT1-3 N0). In addition, first data of newer parameters like Immunoscore® and ctDNA show promising results as stratification parameters. Further investigations to better define clinical risk groups and prognostic factors are mandatory. Besides this, individual decision-making of treatment intensity (FP or FP/oxaliplatin) and duration should always consider patient characteristics and preferences, also given the absolute relatively small differences and their clinical relevance.

Lessons learnt from scoring adjuvant colon cancer trials and meta-analyses using the ESMO-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale V.1.1

Click here to listen to the Podcast BACKGROUND: Form 1 of the European Society for Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) serves to grade therapies with curative intent. Hitherto only few trials with curative intent have been field tested using form 1. We aimed to evaluate the applicability of the scale and to assess the reasonableness of the generated scores in early colon cancer, in order to identify shortcomings that may be rectified in future amendments.

METHODS

Adjuvant studies were identified in PubMed, Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency registration sites, as well as ESMO and National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were graded using form 1 of the ESMO-MCBS V.1.1 and field tested by ESMO Colorectal Cancer Faculty. Shortcomings of the scale were identified and evaluated.

RESULTS

Eighteen of 57 trials and 7 out of 14 meta-analyses identified met criteria for ESMO-MCBS V.1.1 grading. In stage III colon cancer, randomised clinical trials and meta-analyses of modulated 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based chemotherapy versus surgery scored ESMO-MCBS grade A and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses comprising oxaliplatin added to this 5-FU backbone showed a more modest additional overall survival benefit (grade A and B). For stage II colon cancer, the findings are less consistent. The fluoropyrimidine trials in stage II were graded 'no evaluable benefit' but the most recent meta-analysis demonstrated a 5.4% survival advantage after 8 years follow-up (grade A). RCTs and a meta-analysis adding oxaliplatin demonstrated no added benefit. Exploratory toxicity evaluation and annotation was problematic given inconsistent toxicity reporting and limited results of late toxicity. Field testers (n=37) reviewed the scores, 25 confirmed their reasonableness, 12 found them mostly reasonable. Moreover, they identified the inability of crediting improved convenience in non-inferiority trials as a shortcoming.

CONCLUSION

Form 1 of the ESMO-MCBS V.1.1 provided very reasonable grading for adjuvant colon cancer studies.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Elderly Colorectal Cancer Patients

The value of adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly patients has been the subject of many overviews, with opinions varying from “not effective”, since randomized trials have not been performed, to “as effective as in young individuals”, based upon many retrospective analyses of randomized trials that have included patients of all ages. In the absence of randomized trials performed specifically with elderly patients, retrospective analyses demonstrate that the influence on the time to tumour recurrence (TTR) may be the same as in young individuals, but that endpoints that include death for any reason, such as recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS), are poorer in the elderly. This is particularly true if oxaliplatin has been part of the treatment. The need for adjuvant chemotherapy after colorectal cancer surgery in elderly patients is basically the same as that in younger patients. The reduction in recurrence risks may be similar, provided the chosen treatment is tolerated but survival gains are less. Adding oxaliplatin to a fluoropyrimidine is probably not beneficial in individuals above a biological age of approximately 70 years. If an oxaliplatin combination is administered to elderly patients, three months of therapy is in all probability the most realistic goal.

Challenges of improving treatment outcomes for colorectal and anal cancers in Japan: the Colorectal Cancer Study Group (CCSG) of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG)

Colorectal cancer is a major public health concern in Japan. While early-stage colorectal adenocarcinoma treatment entails radical resection of the primary tumor, the importance of perioperative treatment is growing as physicians seek to further improve treatment outcomes. For anal squamous cell carcinoma, definitive chemoradiotherapy is superior to radical surgery in terms of improved patient quality of life. The Colorectal Cancer Study Group of the Japanese Clinical Oncology Group was established in 2001 and has worked to provide answers to common clinical questions and improve treatment outcomes for colorectal and anal cancers through 15 large-scale prospective clinical trials. Here, we discuss the current state of perioperative treatment for early-stage colon, rectal and anal cancers in Japan and approaches taken by the Colorectal Cancer Study Group/the Japanese Clinical Oncology Group to improve treatment outcomes for these cancers.

Guidelines for time-to-event end-point definitions in adjuvant randomised trials for patients with localised colon cancer: Results of the DATECAN initiative

BACKGROUND

The variability of definitions for time-to-event (TTE) end-points impacts the conclusions of randomised clinical trials (RCTs). The Definition for the Assessment of Time-to-event Endpoints in CANcer (DATECAN) initiative aims to provide consensus definitions for TTE end-points used in RCTs. Here, we formulate guidelines for adjuvant colon cancer RCTs.

METHODS

We performed a literature review to identify TTE end-points and events included in their definition in RCT publications. Then, a consensus was reached among a panel of international experts, using a formal modified Delphi method, with 2 rounds of questionnaires and an in-person meeting.

RESULTS

Twenty-four experts scored 72 events involved in 6 TTE end-points. Consensus was reached for 24%, 57% and 100% events after the first round, second round and in-person meeting. For RCTs not using overall survival as their primary end-point, the experts recommend using disease-free survival (DFS) rather than recurrence-free survival (RFS) or time to recurrence (TTR) as the primary end-point. The consensus definition of DFS includes all causes of death, second primary colorectal cancers (CRCs), anastomotic relapse and metastatic relapse as an event, but not second primary non-CRCs. Events included in the RFS definition are the same as for DFS with the exception of second primary CRCs. The consensus definition of TTR includes anastomotic or metastatic relapse, death with evidence of recurrence and death from CC cause.

CONCLUSION

Standardised definitions of TTE end-points ensure the reproducibility of the end-points between RCTs and facilitate cross-trial comparisons. These definitions should be integrated in standard practice for the design, reporting and interpretation of adjuvant CC RCTs.

Quality of life assessment and reporting in colorectal cancer: A systematic review of phase III trials published between 2012 and 2018

BACKGROUND

In this study, our aim was to describe quality of life (QoL) prevalence and heterogeneity in QoL reporting in colorectal cancer phase III trials.

METHODS

We included all phase III trials evaluating anticancer drugs in colorectal cancer patients published between 2012 and 2018 by 11 major journals.

RESULTS

Out of the 67 publications identified, in 41 (61.2 %) QoL was not listed among endpoints. Out of 26 primary publications of trials including QoL among endpoints, QoL results were not reported in 10 (38.5 %). Overall, no QoL data were available in 51/67 (76.1 %) primary publications. In particular, in the metastatic setting, QoL data were not available in 12/18 (66.7 %) trials with primary endpoint overall survival, and in 20/29 (69.0 %) trials with other primary endpoints.

CONCLUSIONS

QoL was absent in a high proportion of recently published phase III trials in colorectal cancer, even in trials of second or further lines, where attention to QoL should be particularly high.

Effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on survival benefit in stage III colon cancer patients stratified by age: a Japanese real-world cohort study

Background

Adjuvant chemotherapy is relatively underused in older patients with colon cancer in Japan, and its age-specific effects on clinical outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on survival benefit in stage III colon cancer patients stratified by age in a Japanese real-world setting.

Methods

In this multi-center retrospective cohort study, we analyzed patient-level information through a record linkage of population-based cancer registry data and administrative claims data. The study population comprised patients aged ≥18 years who received a pathological diagnosis of stage III colon cancer and underwent curative resection between 2010 and 2014 at 36 cancer care hospitals in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Patients were divided into two groups based on age at diagnosis (< 75 and ≥ 75 years). The effect of adjuvant chemotherapy was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression models for all-cause mortality with inverse probability weighting of propensity scores. Adjusted hazard ratios were estimated for both age groups.

Results

A total of 783 patients were analyzed; 476 (60.8%) were aged < 75 years and 307 (39.2%) were aged ≥75 years. The proportion of older patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy (36.8%) was substantially lower than that of younger patients (73.3%). In addition, the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy was different between the age groups: the adjusted hazard ratio was 0.56 (95% confidence interval: 0.33–0.94, P = 0.027) in younger patients and 1.07 (0.66–1.74, P = 0.78) in older patients.

Conclusions

The clinical effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy in older patients with stage III colon cancer appears limited under current utilization practices.

Essential advances in surgical and adjuvant therapies for colorectal cancer 2018-2019

Surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy are the only treatment modalities for localized colorectal cancer that can obtain a "cure." The goal in surgically treating primary colorectal cancer is complete tumor removal along with dissection of systematic D3 lymph nodes. Adjuvant treatment controls recurrence and improves the prognosis of patients after they undergo R0 resection. Various clinical studies have promoted the gradual spread and clinical use of new surgical approaches such as laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, and transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME). Additionally, the significance of adjuvant chemotherapy has been established and it is now recommended in the JSCCR (the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum) guideline as a standard treatment. Herein, we review and summarize current surgical treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy for localized colorectal cancer and discuss recent advances in personalized medicine related to adjuvant chemotherapy.

Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JSCCR) guidelines 2019 for the treatment of colorectal cancer

The number of deaths from colorectal cancer in Japan continues to increase. Colorectal cancer deaths exceeded 50,000 in 2016. In the 2019 edition, revision of all aspects of treatments was performed, with corrections and additions made based on knowledge acquired since the 2016 version (drug therapy) and the 2014 version (other treatments). The Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum guidelines 2019 for the treatment of colorectal cancer (JSCCR guidelines 2019) have been prepared to show standard treatment strategies for colorectal cancer, to eliminate disparities among institutions in terms of treatment, to eliminate unnecessary treatment and insufficient treatment and to deepen mutual understanding between healthcare professionals and patients by making these guidelines available to the general public. These guidelines have been prepared by consensuses reached by the JSCCR Guideline Committee, based on a careful review of the evidence retrieved by literature searches and in view of the medical health insurance system and actual clinical practice settings in Japan. Therefore, these guidelines can be used as a tool for treating colorectal cancer in actual clinical practice settings. More specifically, they can be used as a guide to obtaining informed consent from patients and choosing the method of treatment for each patient. Controversial issues were selected as clinical questions, and recommendations were made. Each recommendation is accompanied by a classification of the evidence and a classification of recommendation categories based on the consensus reached by the Guideline Committee members. Here, we present the English version of the JSCCR guidelines 2019.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Synchronous Lymphoma and Digestive System Carcinoma: Report of Four Cases and Literature Review

Objective: To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of synchronous lymphoma and digestive system carcinoma and review literature.

Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of four cases of synchronous lymphoma and digestive system carcinoma treated at our hospital. The clinical manifestations, pathological results, and treatment strategies were investigated.

Results: One of the four cases was diagnosed as follicular lymphoma with gastric adenocarcinoma, and the other three were diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with digestive system adenocarcinoma in the liver, sigmoid colon, and duodenum papilla, respectively. The second carcinoma was initially discovered incidentally because of the stage examination of lymphoma or the patient's poor response to treatment. The diagnosis of synchronous lymphoma and digestive system carcinoma depended mainly on the pathological examination.

Conclusions: The accurate diagnosis of synchronous malignancies is challenging because they rarely occur. We suggest a scrupulous re-biopsy of extranodal lesions in patients with lymphoma to improve the diagnostic accuracy of related double primary tumors. Age, performance status, symptoms, pathological types, and tumor staging should be considered when formulating a treatment strategy. The systemic treatment regimens should include drugs targeting the synchronous tumors in question, and these remain to be explored further.

Efficacy of oral administration of cystine and theanine in colorectal cancer patients undergoing capecitabine-based adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery: a multi-institutional, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase II trial (JORTC-CAM03)

Purpose

Capecitabine-based adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer patients often causes adverse events (AEs), such as diarrhea, stomatitis, anorexia, and hand-foot syndrome (HFS). Cystine and theanine were reported to attenuate some chemotherapy-associated AEs, and hence are also expected to attenuate capecitabine-induced AEs. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of cystine/theanine treatment in colorectal cancer patients undergoing capecitabine-based adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery.

Methods

A total of 100 colorectal cancer patients treated with capecitabine as an adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery were randomly allocated into the cystine/theanine group (n = 52) or the placebo group (n = 48). The primary endpoint was incidence rate of diarrhea of grade 1 or higher in accordance with the Common Terminology Criteria for AEs (CTCAE) v.4.0, Japanese Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) version. The secondary endpoints included incidence rates of other AEs (CTCAE v.4.0-JCOG), as well as the incidence rate of HFS according to the HFS grading scale.

Results

There were no significant differences in capecitabine-induced AEs between the two groups. However, the incidence rate of diarrhea of grade 1 or higher tended to be lower in the cystine/theanine group than the placebo group (18.4% vs. 28.9%, p = 0.169) as well as the incidence rate of HFS of grade 1 or higher (CTCAE v.4.0-JCOG or HFS grading scale) (67.4% vs. 77.8%, p = 0.185, 67.3% vs. 80.0%, p = 0.124, respectively).

Conclusion

This trial demonstrated that cystine/theanine treatment of colorectal cancer patients undergoing capecitabine-based adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery is safe and has the tendency to reduce the incidence rate of diarrhea or HFS.

Trial registration

UMIN000024784

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00520-019-05205-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Differential Survival Benefits of 5-Fluorouracil-Based Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Patients With Microsatellite-Stable Stage III Colorectal Cancer According to the Tumor Budding Status: A Retrospective Analysis

BACKGROUND

Recent research has established tumor budding as a prognostic factor and a possible histomorphologic reflection of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer, highlighting the ability of cancer cells exhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition to resist chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the clinical benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy according to the tumor budding status in microsatellite-stable stage III colorectal cancer.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective study of 2 cohorts.

SETTINGS

The study was conducted at the National Defense Medical College in Japan.

PATIENTS

We reviewed 2 data sets of patients with microsatellite-stable stage III colorectal cancer with curatively intended surgery (R0) from 1999 to 2005 (first cohort; n = 203) and 2006 to 2012 (second cohort; n = 346). In both cohorts, 128 and 203 patients received 5-fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy and 75 and 143 patients did not.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We assessed the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy according to the grades of tumor budding based on the cancer-specific survival.

RESULTS

In low-budding tumors, the chemotherapy group exhibited better cancer-specific survival than the surgery-alone group (first cohort, 93.1% vs 65.5%, p = 0.001; second cohort, 94.0% vs 76.0%, p < 0.0001). Conversely, the prognostic difference between the chemotherapy and surgery-alone groups was statistically insignificant in high-budding tumors (first cohort, 59.7% vs 52.4%, p = 0.57; second cohort, 83.1% vs 75.6%, p = 0.19). The multivariate analysis corroborated the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy in low-budding tumors (first cohort, p = 0.002, HR = 0.28; second cohort, p < 0.0001, HR = 0.23) but not in high-budding tumors.

LIMITATIONS

Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and treatments for recurrence were not homogeneous, and the patient backgrounds differed between the chemotherapy and surgery alone groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The high-budding group demonstrated resistance to 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy, whereas the low-budding group exhibited significant survival benefits from adjuvant chemotherapy in stage III colorectal cancer. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B14. BENEFICIOS DE SUPERVIVENCIA DIFERENCIAL DE LA QUIMIOTERAPIA ADYUVANTE BASADA EN 5-FLUOROURACILO PARA PACIENTES CON CÁNCER COLORRECTAL EN ESTADIO III ESTABLE CON MICROSATÉLITE SEGÚN EL ESTADO DE BROTACIÓN DEL TUMOR: UN ANÁLISIS RETROSPECTIVO:: Investigaciones recientes han establecido la aparición de tumores como un factor pronóstico y una posible reflexión histomorfológica de la transición epitelial-mesenquimatosa en el cáncer colorrectal, destacando la capacidad de las células cancerosas que presentan una transición epitelio-mesenquimática para resistir la quimioterapia.El objetivo de este estudio es investigar los beneficios clínicos de la quimioterapia adyuvante según el estado de brotación del tumor en el cáncer colorrectal en estadio III estable con microsatélite.Este fue un estudio retrospectivo de dos cohortes.El estudio se realizó en la Escuela de Medicina de la Defensa Nacional de Japón.Revisamos dos conjuntos de datos de pacientes con cáncer colorrectal en estadio III estable con microsatélite con cirugía de intención curativa (R0) de 1999 a 2005 (primera cohorte; n = 203) y 2006 a 2012 (segunda cohorte; n = 346). En ambas cohortes, 128 y 203 pacientes recibieron quimioterapia adyuvante basada en 5-fluorouracilo y 75 y 143 pacientes no, respectivamente.Evaluamos los beneficios de la quimioterapia adyuvante de acuerdo con los grados de brotación del tumor en función de la supervivencia específica del cáncer.n los tumores con brotes bajos, el grupo de quimioterapia mostró una mejor supervivencia específica al cáncer que el grupo con cirugía sola (primera cohorte, 93.1% vs. 65.5%, p = 0.001; segunda cohorte, 94.0% vs. 76.0%, p < 0.0001). A la inversa, la diferencia pronóstica entre los grupos de quimioterapia y cirugía sola fue estadísticamente insignificante en los tumores de brotes elevados (primera cohorte, 59.7% vs. 52.4%, p = 0.57; segunda cohorte, 83.1% vs. 75.6%, p = 0.19). El análisis multivariado corroboró los beneficios de la quimioterapia adyuvante en los tumores de brotes bajos (primera cohorte, p = 0,002, índice de riesgo: 0,28; segundo cohorte, p <0,0001, índice de riesgo: 0,23) pero no en los tumores de alto brote.a quimioterapia adyuvante postoperatoria y los tratamientos para la recurrencia no fueron homogéneos, y los antecedentes de los pacientes difirieron entre los grupos de quimioterapia y cirugía sola.El grupo de alto brote demostró resistencia a la quimioterapia basada en 5-fluorouracilo, mientras que el grupo de bajo brote mostró beneficios significativos de supervivencia de la quimioterapia adyuvante en el cáncer colorrectal en estadio III. Vea el Resumen del Video en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B14.

S-1 and Oxaliplatin Versus Tegafur-uracil and Leucovorin as Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With High-risk Stage III Colon Cancer (ACTS-CC 02): A Randomized, Open-label, Multicenter, Phase III Superiority Trial

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer has not been established. This randomized phase III study was designed to verify the superiority of SOX over tegafur-uracil and leucovorin (UFT/LV) in patients with high-risk stage III colon cancer (any T, N2, or positive nodes around the origin of the feeding arteries).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent curative resection for pathologically confirmed high-risk stage III colon cancer were randomly assigned to receive either UFT/LV (300 mg/m² of UFT and 75 mg/day of LV on days 1-28, every 35 days, 5 cycles) or SOX (100 mg/m² of oxaliplatin on day 1 and 80 mg/m² of S-1 on days 1-14, every 21 days, 8 cycles). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS

A total of 478 patients in the UFT/LV group and 477 patients in the SOX group were included in the primary analysis. The 3-year DFS was 60.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 56.0%-64.9%) in the UFT/LV group and 62.7% (95% CI, 58.1%-66.9%) in the SOX group. The stratified hazard ratio for DFS was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.74-1.09; stratified log-rank test, P = .2780). In the N2b subgroup, the 3-year DFS was 46.0% (95% CI, 37.5%-54.0%) in the UFT/LV group and 54.7% (95% CI, 45.7%-62.7%) in the SOX group (hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.55-1.05).

CONCLUSION

As postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, SOX was not superior to UFT/LV in terms of DFS in patients with high-risk stage III colon cancer.

JOIN trial: treatment outcome and recovery status of peripheral sensory neuropathy during a 3-year follow-up in patients receiving modified FOLFOX6 as adjuvant treatment for stage II/III colon cancer

Purpose

Adjuvant FOLFOX therapy is an established standard-of-care for resected colon cancer. Peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN) is regarded as the major toxicity issue related to FOLFOX therapy. There have been a few reports on the recovery status from PSN thereafter. JOIN trial investigated the tolerability and efficacy of adjuvant modified FOLFOX6 (mFOLFOX6) in Japanese patients with stage II/III colon cancer.

Methods

Twelve cycles of mFOLFOX6 were given to patients with stage II/III curatively resected colon cancer. Treatment outcomes, including disease-free survival (DFS), relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and recovery status of PSN during 3-year follow-up, were investigated.

Results

Of the 882 patients enrolled from 2010 to 2012, 864 were eligible for the efficacy analyses. Three-year DFS, RFS, and OS were favorable in 92.1, 92.8, and 97.4% of stage II patients; 76.4, 77.9, and 93.8% of stage IIIA/B; and 61.6, 62.7, and 85.9% of stage IIIC, respectively. The cumulative incidence of PSN during treatment was 47.8% in grade 1 (G1), 30.3% in G2, and 5.8% in G3. For those with G3 PSN during treatment, there was gradual recovery in 1.1% of patients at 12 months after enrollment, 0.5% at 24 months, and 0.2% at 36 months. However, G1 or G2 residual PSN after 3 years was observed in 21.0% (18.7%, G1; 2.3%, G2).

Conclusions

Adjuvant mFOLFOX6 therapy was effective and well tolerated in patients with stage II/III colon cancer. Most patients recovered from G3 PSN related to oxaliplatin, but approximately 20% of patients had G1 or G2 PSN at 3-year follow-up.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00280-019-03957-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Phase II study of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CapOX) as adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer (CORONA II)

Objective

This multicenter, single-arm phase II study (UMIN000008429) aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CapOX) as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods

Patients with resectable clinical Stage II or III rectal cancer were enrolled to receive eight cycles of CapOX therapy (130 mg/m² oxaliplatin on day 1 and 2000 mg/m² oral capecitabine on days 1–14, every 3 weeks) after curative surgical resection. The primary endpoint was 3-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rate, and secondary endpoints were 3-year overall survival (OS) rate, treatment compliance, and safety.

Results

A total of 40 patients (Stage II, 21; Stage III, 19) were enrolled between September 2012 and November 2015 from seven institutions. Thirty-nine patients (97%) received R0 resection, and 32 patients (84%) received postoperative CapOX therapy. The completion rate of all eight cycles of CapOX therapy was 66%. Relative dose intensities were 87% for oxaliplatin and 84% for capecitabine. At a median follow-up period of 46 months, disease recurrence was observed in nine patients, including three with local recurrence. Three-year RFS and OS rates were 75% (95% CI 57–86%) and 96% (95% CI 80–99%), respectively. Frequencies of Grade ≥ 3 hematological and non-hematologic adverse events were 19% and 38%, respectively.

Conclusion

CapOX therapy is feasible as adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.

TS-1 add-on therapy in Japanese patients with triple-negative breast cancer after neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy: a feasibility study

Purpose We examined the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of TS-1 add-on therapy (TAT) in Japanese patients with triple-negative breast caner (TNBC). Methods TAT (TS-1, 80 mg/m²/day, BID, PO), consisting of the 21-day cycles of 14-day consecutive administration followed by 7-day drug holiday, was conducted for 365 days. The median follow-up was 75.2 months (range, 7.3–103.3 months). The primary endpoint was the feasibility of TAT. The secondary endpoints included relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results 63 Japanese patients with TNBC (median age, 52.5 years; range, 23.7–68.6 years) were examined. Among them, 34 (54.0%) were postmenopausal, 54 (93.7%) had TNBC of common histological type, 51 (81.0%) had T1 to 3 tumors, 63 (100%) had undergone standardized surgery, and 44 (69.8%) and 19 (30.2%) had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy, respectively. The 365-day cumulative rate of TS-1 administration was 68.3% (95% confidence interval, 55.3–79.4), being comparable to 65.8% previously reported for gastric cancer. The 5-year RFS rates were 52.3% and 84.2% in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy groups, respectively, and the 5-year OS rates were 68.0% and 89.5%, respectively. The most common adverse events (AEs) were leucocyte count decreased (50.8%), total bilirubin decreased (44.4%), and pigmentation (42.9%). AEs were manageable clinically, and any grade 4 AEs did not develop. Conclusions The 365-day cumulative rate of TS-1 administration in TNBC patients was comparable to that in gastric cancer patients despite previous chemotherapy with anthracyclines and/or taxanes. TAT was feasible for TNBC patients after standard primary therapy.

Adjuvant chemotherapy improves prognosis of resectable stage IV colorectal cancer: a comparative study using inverse probability of treatment weighting

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) is known to be beneficial for stage III colorectal cancer (CRC). In contrast, only a few studies have reported the survival benefits of AC for stage IV CRC after curative surgery.

METHODS

We identified 155 CRC patients with various organ metastases who underwent curative surgery in our hospital between 2003 and 2017. Clinicopathological parameters and postoperative AC were reviewed. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. Moreover, the effects of AC on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

RESULTS

The cohort comprised 94 males and 61 females, with a mean age of 63 years. AC was administered to 57% of patients who underwent surgery between 2003 and 2010 and 76% between 2011 and 2017 (p = 0.015). AC was more likely administered to patients with a good performance status, high preoperative albumin level, regional node and peritoneal metastases, and no intraoperative blood transfusion. Multivariate analyses identified AC as a significant prognostic factors for RFS and OS [hazard ratio (HR): 1.86, p = 0.003, and 2.66, p = 0.002, respectively]. After adjusting for different backgrounds, 5-year RFS and OS rates were higher in patients receiving AC (27% and 67%) than in those without AC (14% and 46%, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0005). Subgroup analyses showed that AC significantly improved RFS in node-negative patients (HR: 2.16, p = 0.029), and RFS and OS in node-positive patients (HR: 2.03, p < 0.0001, and 2.02, p = 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

AC can be discussed with resectable stage IV CRC patients because of its significant survival-improving effects.

Impact of primary tumor location as a predictive factor in patients suffering from colorectal cancer treated with cytotoxic anticancer agents based on the collagen gel droplet-embedded drug sensitivity test

In recent studies, better clinical outcomes for patients with left-sided colon cancer (CC) compared with right-sided CC have been reported; however, in such investigations, the chemotherapy regimens included molecular-targeting agents. To the best of our knowledge, the impact of primary tumor location as a predictive factor in patients suffering from CC treated with cytotoxic anticancer agents alone has not been investigated. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of the primary tumor location as a predictive factor of patients undergoing the following cytotoxic anticancer agent regimens: Leucovorin and fluorouracil + oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) or Leucovorin and fluorouracil + irinotecan (FOLFIRI), using the collagen gel droplet-embedded drug sensitivity test (CD-DST). Between March 2008 and April 2017, tumor specimens were obtained from 133 patients suffering from colorectal cancer (CRC) who had not received preoperative chemotherapy. CD-DST was performed and the growth inhibition rate (IR) was determined in FOLFOX and FOLFIRI regimens. The associations between tumor location and IR values for each condition were evaluated. In the present study, the prognosis of patients receiving palliative chemotherapy as well as treatment with molecularly-targeted agents was also investigated. There were no significant differences in the IRs (%) of the two regimens using CD-DST for right-sided tumors compared with left-sided tumors, including or excluding the rectum. The median survival times of patients with right CC and left CC who had received palliative chemotherapy and treatment with molecularly-targeted agents were 960 and 1,348 days, respectively. Primary tumor location did not represent a predictive factor for the efficacy of treatment with cytotoxic anticancer agent regimens using CD-DST. However, patients suffering from left-sided CC were revealed to exhibit better clinical outcomes compared with patients suffering from right-sided CC when molecularly-targeted agent regimens were administered. Therefore, the results of the present study suggested that molecularly-targeted agents rather than cytotoxic anticancer agents may result in improved clinical outcomes for patients with CRC suffering from left-sided tumors.

Impact of primary tumor location as a predictive factor in patients suffering from colorectal cancer treated with cytotoxic anticancer agents based on the collagen gel droplet-embedded drug sensitivity test

In recent studies, better clinical outcomes for patients with left-sided colon cancer (CC) compared with right-sided CC have been reported; however, in such investigations, the chemotherapy regimens included molecular-targeting agents. To the best of our knowledge, the impact of primary tumor location as a predictive factor in patients suffering from CC treated with cytotoxic anticancer agents alone has not been investigated. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of the primary tumor location as a predictive factor of patients undergoing the following cytotoxic anticancer agent regimens: Leucovorin and fluorouracil + oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) or Leucovorin and fluorouracil + irinotecan (FOLFIRI), using the collagen gel droplet-embedded drug sensitivity test (CD-DST). Between March 2008 and April 2017, tumor specimens were obtained from 133 patients suffering from colorectal cancer (CRC) who had not received preoperative chemotherapy. CD-DST was performed and the growth inhibition rate (IR) was determined in FOLFOX and FOLFIRI regimens. The associations between tumor location and IR values for each condition were evaluated. In the present study, the prognosis of patients receiving palliative chemotherapy as well as treatment with molecularly-targeted agents was also investigated. There were no significant differences in the IRs (%) of the two regimens using CD-DST for right-sided tumors compared with left-sided tumors, including or excluding the rectum. The median survival times of patients with right CC and left CC who had received palliative chemotherapy and treatment with molecularly-targeted agents were 960 and 1,348 days, respectively. Primary tumor location did not represent a predictive factor for the efficacy of treatment with cytotoxic anticancer agent regimens using CD-DST. However, patients suffering from left-sided CC were revealed to exhibit better clinical outcomes compared with patients suffering from right-sided CC when molecularly-targeted agent regimens were administered. Therefore, the results of the present study suggested that molecularly-targeted agents rather than cytotoxic anticancer agents may result in improved clinical outcomes for patients with CRC suffering from left-sided tumors.

Updated 5-year survival and exploratory T x N subset analyses of ACTS-CC trial: a randomised controlled trial of S-1 versus tegafur-uracil/leucovorin as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer

Objective

Adjuvant Chemotherapy Trial of TS-1 for Colon Cancer (ACTS-CC), a randomised phase III trial, demonstrated that adjuvant therapy with S-1 for stage III colon cancer was non-inferior in 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) to that of tegafur-uracil plus leucovorin (UFT/LV). We updated DFS and overall survival (OS) and performed T x N subset analysis.

Methods

A total of 1518 patients with curatively resected stage III colon cancer were randomly assigned to receive S-1 (80-120  mg/day on days 1-28 every 42 days, four courses) or UFT/LV (UFT: 300-600  mg/day and LV: 75  mg/day on days 1-28 every 35 days, five courses).

Results

The 5-year DFS rates of the S-1 and UFT/LV group were 70.2 % and 66.9 %, respectively (HR 0.88; 95%  CI 0.74 to 1.06; p=0.177), and non-inferiority of DFS was reconfirmed with a median of 63.5-month follow-up. The similarity of OS was also confirmed (HR 0.92; 95%  CI 0.72 to 1.17; p=0.488); 5-year OS rates of the S-1 and UFT/LV group were 86.0 % and 84.4 %, respectively. No significant interactions were identified between the major baseline characteristics and DFS of the S-1 and UFT/LV groups, except for histological type; S-1 was more favourable in patients with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Patient outcomes were well separated by TNM-substages (IIIA/IIIB/IIIC). With the patients divided into 20 subsets by T and N factors, the DFS and OS rates of T3 and N1 subset, which accounted for 62 % of stage IIIB patients and 44 % of all studied subjects, were significantly better than those of the other subsets in stage IIIB and similar to those of stage IIIA.

Conclusions

Adjuvant therapy of S-1 for stage III colon cancer was reconfirmed to be non-inferior in DFS to those of UFT/LV after long follow-up. No difference in OS was also demonstrated. T3N1 patients might be considered separately from other patients included in stage IIIB because of its favourable outcome.

Trial registration number

NCT00660894.

Efficacy of oral administration of cystine and theanine in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing capecitabine-based adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery: study protocol for a multi-institutional, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase II trial

INTRODUCTION

Although adjuvant capecitabine therapy for patients with colorectal cancer after surgery often causes adverse events (AEs), such as diarrhoea, stomatitis, anorexia and hand-foot syndrome (HFS), there are no standard prevention therapies. Cystine and theanine were reported to attenuate some chemotherapy-associated AEs, and are also expected to attenuate the AEs caused by capecitabine treatment. Therefore, our present study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of cystine/theanine therapy in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing capecitabine-based adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A multi-institutional, prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase II trial is being planned. Patients with colorectal cancer treated with capecitabine as an adjuvant chemotherapy will be randomised into either the cystine/theanine group (n=50) or placebo group (n=50). Data will be collected during four courses of capecitabine therapy. The primary endpoint will be incidence rate of diarrhoea of grade 1 or higher in accordance with the Common Terminology Criteria for AEs (CTCAE) v.4.0, Japanese Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) version. The secondary endpoints are incidence rates of other AEs (CTCAE v.4.0-JCOG), scores of the Japanese version of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire module for all patients with cancer (QLQ-C30) and for patients with colorectal cancer (QLQ-CR29), incidence rate of HFS according to the HFS grading scale, protocol adherence, completion rate of four courses of capecitabine therapy and the proportion of completion without delay or dose reduction, time to completion of four courses of capecitabine and total dose of capecitabine. A sample size of 100 patients will be analysed between November 2016 and April 2018.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was obtained at all participating institutions. The results of this study will be submitted for publication in international peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

UMIN000024784; Pre-results.

[Fluoropyrimidines cardiac toxicity: 5-fluorouracil, capecitabine, compound S-1 and trifluridine/tipiracil]

The incidence of cardiac toxicity of 5-flurorouracil (5-FU) IV and capecitabine varies from 1.2 to 18%. The physiopathology of this toxicity is still under study, various hypotheses are mentioned. In the absence of identified prophylactic treatment, reintroduction of this cytotoxic is at risk. A discussion between oncologists and cardiologists is essential to estimate the balance between benefit and risk and the careful reintroduction of treatment. An alternative compound might be raltitrexed which is currently the treatment recommended in case of intolerance to fluoropyrimidines. The compound S-1 does not have any cardiac toxicity. Of a total of 2910 patients in phase II or III studies, no grade III or IV cardiovascular events were reported. However, the treatment is not reimbursed in France and therefore not available. The trifluridine/tipiracil, for which approval from French authorities was obtained in November 2016 for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in progress despite standard treatment lines, does not appear to have cardiac toxicity according to studies published to date. The pivotal phase III study (RECOURSE), that led to this marketing authorization, was performed in 800 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer refractory and only one patient (less than 1% of patients) treated with trifluridine/tipiracil presented an episode of cardiac ischemia. Thus, trifluridine/tipiracil, which is well tolerated, could be an alternative to raltitrexed for patients with cardiovascular history contraindicating or discouraging the use of fluoropyrimidines.