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A phase II study of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX)

A new first-line option in metastatic colorectal cancer

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International Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background: Capecitabine and oxaliplatin are both effective and well-tolerated monotherapies for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). Oxaliplatin has also been shown to be very effective when combined with 5-FU/LV in the first-line setting.

Aim of the Study: Assess the efficacy and safety of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) in patients with previously untreated advanced CRC.

Methods: Fifty-three patients with measurable disease received capecitabine 1,000 mg/m2 twice daily on d 1–14 and oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 on d 1, every 3 wk. Of these, 52 were evaluable for safety and 49 for antitumor response.

Results: There was a low rate of grade 1/2 adverse events; grade 3/4 events included leukopenia (10%), neutropenia (6%), thrombocytopenia (2%), nausea/vomiting (4%), and diarrhea (4%). The overall response rate was 39% (95% CI, 25–54%) and median time to disease progression was 7.8 mo.

Conclusions: XELOX is an active and well-tolerated first-line treatment for advanced CRC. Randomized phase III studies are ongoing to compare XELOX with FOLFOX in view of the comparable efficacy and safety but superior convenience of XELOX therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HECOG), Data Office, Athens, Greece

    Thomas Makatsoris MD, Haralabos P. Kalofonos, Gerasimos Aravantinos, Christos Papadimitriou, Efstathios Kastritis, Sotirios K. Rigatos, Nikolaos Xiros, Theodore Petsas, Theofanis Economopoulos, Athanassios K. Sakadamis & George Fountzilas

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  1. Thomas Makatsoris MD
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  2. Haralabos P. Kalofonos
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  3. Gerasimos Aravantinos
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  4. Christos Papadimitriou
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  5. Efstathios Kastritis
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  6. Sotirios K. Rigatos
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  7. Nikolaos Xiros
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  8. Theodore Petsas
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  9. Theofanis Economopoulos
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  11. George Fountzilas
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Correspondence to Thomas Makatsoris MD.

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Makatsoris, T., Kalofonos, H.P., Aravantinos, G. et al. A phase II study of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX). Int J Gastrointest Canc 35, 103–109 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1385/IJGC:35:2:103

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/IJGC:35:2:103

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