TREATMENT OF ADVANCED COLORECTAL-CANCER - A PILOT CLINICAL-STUDY WITH5-FLUOROURACIL AND FOLINIC ACID IN COMBINATION WITH INTERFERON-ALPHA

Fourteen patients affected by metastatic colorectal cancer were subjec ted to alternating cycles as follows: cycle ''A'', low immunomodulatin g doses of Alpha-2b Interferon (IFN, 3 MIU/m(2) daily for 5 days, 1(st ) week of the cycle), followed by 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU, 400 mg/m(2) iv , daily for 5 days) + Folinic acid (FA, 200 mg/m(2) iv, daily for 5 da ys) in the 2(nd) week, followed again by IFN in the 3(rd) week, with 1 week interval prior to the next cycle; cycle ''B'', 5-FU + FA without IFN. Hematological, biochemical and physical evaluation showed that b oth treatment cycles were well tolerated, However, transient fever and moderate flu-like symptoms were observed following IFN administration , and mucositis was the predominant toxicity of both types of cycle. M oreover, reduction of granulocyte and platelet counts after chemothera py was more pronounced during cycles ''A'' than during cycles ''B''. C linical results on 12 evaluable patients indicated a limited response rate (i.e, 1 partial remission and 8 minor responses or stable disease s). However, the relative long survival time of non-progressor patient s would suggest that this protocol could be of potential value for sta bilization of the disease.