Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Colorectal Cancer: A Prospective Phase II Trial with Oxliplatin Plus 5-Fluorouuracil and Leucovorin

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of combining oxaliplatin with 5-Fluorouuracil and Leucovorin (FL) as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ colorectal cancer after radical surgery. Methods: From 2004 to 2005, 20 patients with stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ colorectal cancers who had undergone radical surgery were enrolled in this prospective study. The operative method and post-operative disease-free survival, overall survival, and complications were recorded and discussed. Results: There were 12 males and 8 females, with a mean age of 56.05±9.74 years. Three cases had T3 tumors while the other 17 had T4 tumors. Nine cases were stage Ⅱ and the rest were stage Ⅲ of the disease. Seven cases (35%) underwent right hemi-colectomy, two (10%) left hemi-colectomy, and 11 (55%) low anterior resection. The overall survival rate was 95% and the disease-free survival rate was 85%. Only grade one (one patient) and grade two (two patients) neuropathy were noted in the study. No major surgical-or treatment-related complications were noted. Conclusions: Patients who received Oxaliplatin plus 5-Fluorouuracil and Leucovorin (FL) treatment showed promising results for the adjuvant treatment for stage Ⅱ and stage Ⅲ colorectal disease. The results became even more significant one year after.