According to a new study published in the journal Annals of Oncology, modified FOLFOX-6 (leucovorin, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin) plus bevacizumab caused a high rate of hepatectomy and allowed for a high number of initially unresectable cases of liver-only metastases of colon cancer to be resectable.
For the phase 2 clinical study, researchers enrolled 46 patientss with colorectal cancer with liver-only metastases. All patients received mFOLFOX-6 plus bevacizumab for six cycles, and following chemotherapy, a hepatectomy was performed if possible.
Results showed that 18 of 19 patients considered unresectable prior to therapy completed treatment and underwent hepatectomy and 6 of 26 patients considered initially unresectable underwent hepatectomy. In all, approximately 45% of the 45 patients included in the efficacy analysis were R0-resected.
The most common severe adverse events associated with chemotherapy were fatigue, leukopenia, and neutropenia, and the only adverse events associated with bevacizumab were hypertension and venous thromboembolism.
Of the 25 patients who underwent hepatectomy, two experienced grade 3 wound infections, one experienced blioma, one had delayed wound healing, and one had an intraperitoneal abscess intraoperatively or postoperatively.
Modified FOLFOX-6 (leucovorin, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin) plus bevacizumab caused a high rate of hepatectomy.
In colorectal cancer patients with liver-only metastases, mFOLFOX6+ BV therapy yielded a high hepatectomy rate and a high percentage of initially unresectable and subsequently resectable cases. The chemotherapy associated adverse events and hepatectomy complications were both within acceptable ranges.