[Retrospective study of irinotecan plus fluorouracil and l-leucovorin chemotherapy for advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer].

Ten cases of advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer treated with irinotecan plus fluorouracil and l-leucovorin systemic chemotherapy (CPT-11/5-FU/l-LV) were investigated. The 10 patients consisted of 7 males and 3 females with a mean age of 64.3 years. We diagnosed adenocarcinoma of the colon in 2 patients and of the rectum in 8 patients. Five patients had liver and lung metastases, 1 had lymph node metastases, 1 had bone marrow metastases and 3 had recurrence in a pelvic lesion. All patients underwent 3-week chemotherapy regimen (CPT-11 50 mg/m2/week + 5-FU 400 mg/m2/week + l-LV 20 mg/m2/week). Five patients received this regimen as a first-line chemotherapy and the other patients as a second-line chemotherapy after 5-FU/l-LV chemotherapy. The effect was CR or PR in all patients receiving the regimen as a first-line chemotherapy. The progression free survival time was 6.8 months and mean survival time was 10.0 months in the first-line patients. Otherwise, all second-line patients had PD. The suppression of white blood cells (grade 1 or 2) was seen in 4 patients. All patients were able to receive the systemic chemotherapy in the outpatient setting. CPT-11/5-FU/l-LV chemotherapy appears to be an effective first-line chemotherapy for advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer.