To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: ECCO11: Long-Term Survival of Patients with Advanced Anal Carcinoma Improves with New Therapeutic Regimen URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/20B7D6.htm Doctor's Guide October 23, 2001
By Ana Hidalgo-Simón LISBON, PORTUGAL -- October 23, 2001 -- Researchers have reduced late toxicity and improved treatment compliance by reducing the treatment gap from six to two weeks, switching to a more intense chemotherapy dose, and using a continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil.
The results of a phase II study were presented yesterday (Oct. 22) at ECCO11, the European Cancer Conference, in Lisbon, Portugal, by Dr. J.F. Bosset, from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, radiation oncology center, in Besancon, France, with contributors from Germany, United Kingdom, and Switzerland.
A previous phase III study (EORTC 22861) demonstrated that the combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy increased the number of patients who survive without having a colostomy.
In this study (EORTC 22953), radiotherapy consisted of a pelvic dose of 45 Gy over five weeks and a boost of 15-20 Gy, after a gap of two weeks. Chemotherapy was given at the beginning of each radiotherapy sequence (MMC) and continuously during both sequences (5-FU).
A total of 43 patients in good general condition with locally advanced anal carcinoma were recruited into the study. Patients with perianal closure were excluded but tumours were mostly in the T-3 or T-4 stages.
The investigators found no major toxicity as a result of the treatment, although some diarrhoea and perineal skin irritation were seen and controlled.
"When we compared our results with the previous study, we found that, without major patient or tumour characteristics differences between the two populations, the two-year estimation for local control was improved -- 76 percent in the previous study and 79.5 percent in ours," Dr Bosset said.
Colostomy-free survival was also improved (72 percent versus 81.2 percent), as were severe toxicity-free survival (68 percent versus 84 percent) and overall survival (85 percent to 94 percent).
"This new approach is feasible, and the results for long-term toxicity look very promising," he concluded. Compliance with treatment was also improved by the new regimen. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.