ABSTRACT
Objectives To observe the pre and post-operational changes of the expressions of survivin, caspase-3 and CD44V6 in patients with colorectal cancer after intra-abdominal implantation of sustained releasing fluorouracil. Meth-ods Sixty-four patients with colorectal cancer (Dukes’stage of B and C) were divided into treatment group and control group, 32 patients in each group. The standard radical surgery was performed in two groups of patients. The fluorouracil im-plants were implanted intra-abdominally in treatment group. The peripheral blood levels of surviving and caspase-3 were de-tected by RT-PCR. The level of CD44V6 was detected by flow cytometry in two groups of patients. Results There were no significant differences in levels of survivin, caspase-3 and CD44V6 before surgery between two groups (P>0.05). The level of survivin (0.362 ± 0.183) was significantly lower at 14 days after operation in treatment group than that of control group (0.585±0.207), but the level of caspase-3 (2.001±0.146) was significantly higher than that of control group (1.654±0.111). The levels of CD44V6 were significantly lower in treatment group (1.857±0.535) and control group (3.471±0.496) after opera-tion than those before operation (9.557±1.170 and 9.729±0.943, P＜0.05), and the level of CD44V6 was significantly lower in treatment group than that of control group (P＜0.05). Conclusion The implant for the sustained release of fluorouracil showed a positive impact on micrometastases and prognosis of colorectal cancer, while improved the long-term efficacy of postoperative colorectal cancer.
ABSTRACT
Objective To compare the short-term efficacy and main side effects between one-week and two-week schedule of cetuximab plus chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer. Methods 56 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were enrolled, ECOG physical status 0～2, good liver and renal function, using the RECIST published in 2000 to evaluate the measurable lesions. 30 patients received oneweek schedule of cetuximab plus chemotherapy, cetuximab was administered at an initial dose of 400 mg/m~2 followed by weekly doses of 250 mg/m~2; 26 patients received two -week schedule of cetuximab plus chemotheraphy, cetuximab was administered at an initial dose of 500 mg/m~2 and the same dose was given every two weeks. The termination of the study was patients finishing 8 weeks treatment or disease progress.Results 28 patients were evaluable in one-week schedule group: CR 1, PR 7, SD 11, PD 9, RR was 28.6 %,DCR was 67.9 %. 26 patients were evaluable in two-week schedule: none of CR, PR 8, SD 9, PD 9, RR was 30.8 %, DCR was 65.4 %, and no significant difference was found(P >0.05). Grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ toxicity were rash,nausea, vomiting, neutropenia and reduction of leukemia, no significant difference was found in the two groups (P >0.05). Conclusion The therapeutic effect and safety for metastatic colorectal cancer are similar between one-week and two-week schedule of cetuximab plus chemotherapy.