Survival status and prognostic factors of liver metastases from colorectal cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the survival status and prognostic factors of patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The survival rate and prognostic factors of 112 patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer, who had complete follow-up data, were retrospectively assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median survival time of the 112 patients was 18.25 months. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 60.8%, 35.0%, 20.3% and 4.8%, respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated that gender, age, primary tumor site, chemotherapy and pathological types had no significant correlation with the overall survival. But the treatment of primary tumor, time of liver metastasis, gross type of tumor, resection of liver metastases and clinical stage status were all independently related with the prognosis of patients. Multivariate regression analysis showed that resection of liver metastases, gross type of tumor and clinical stage were key factors affecting the prognosis of patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Patients with advanced stage, infiltrative gross type of colorectal cancer should be followed-up closely so that liver metastases from the cancer can be diagnosed and treated early. Resection of both the primary tumor and liver metastasis may improve survival of the patients.</p>

First-line Xeloda (Capecitabine) treatment for advanced and recurrent colorectal cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine as first-line therapy in patients with advanced and recurrent colorectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From December 2000 to November 2001, sixty patients with advanced and recurrent colorectal cancer received first-line capecitabine treatment given at a dose of 1250 mg/m(2) twice daily, on days 1 - 14 every 21 days. At least 2 cycles were administered.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall response rate was 23.3% with 14 PR, 24 SD (40.0%) and 15 PD. The median survival time was 14.7 months. The survival rate was 63.9% at 12-months and 33.4% at 24-months. Grade III-IV adverse effects were diarrhea in 4 patients (6.6%), anemia in 2 (3.3%) and hand-foot syndrome (HFS) in 1 (1.7%); Grade I-II adverse effects were hyperpigmentation in 20 (33.3%), HFS in 18 (30.0%) and diarrhea in 10 (16.7%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Capecitabine is an efficacious and better-tolerated alternative treatment for the patients with advanced and recurrent colorectal cancer.</p>