ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to determine the factors which affect post-progression survival (PPS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. METHODS: 87 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer had been followed up with palliative care due to disease progression or ECOG performance status after receiving at least two cycles of chemotherapy. PPS was estimated as the time between the last progression date and last control or death date in patients who were followed up with palliative care. RESULTS: 87 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were included in the study. Evaluation with multivariate analysis of factors affecting PPS revealed a significantly longer PPS (10.8 weeks) in patients with ECOG score 0 or 1 than the PPS of patients with ECOG score 2-5 (3 weeks) (p=0.01). It was also found that PPS was 14.4 weeks in patients with CEA levels <5ng/ml,while it was 6.7 weeks in patients with CEA levels ≥5 ng/ml (p=0.001) and PPS was 13.7 weeks in patients with controlled disease after first-line chemotherapy while it was 8 weeks in patients with progression (p=0.03); both were statistically significant. No significant association was found between PPS and age, gender, tumor location, sites of metastasis, and RAS status. CONCLUSION: ECOG performance status score of 0-1, CEA levels below 5 ng/ml, and disease control with first-line chemotherapy are related to longer PPS in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
