Bimonthly fluorouracil in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a report of 50 patients.

Purpose, - Recent advances in the management of colorectal cancer have impr oved the quality of life and the survival of patients treated with chemothe rapy. In order to define the contribution of chemotherapy in elderly patien ts, we studied the tolerance and the efficacy of first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Methods. - Patients aged oiler 75 years received, as outpatient therapy, a bimonthly 48 h leucovorin and fluorouracil regimen. Evaluation was assessed every six cycles (i.e., three months). Results, - Fifty patients were studied: 28 males and 22 females, aged betwe en 75 to 87 years, 37 with colon cancer and 13 with rectal cancer. Among 45 patients capable of being evaluated, the response rate was 44%, with six c omplete responses (13%) and 14 partial responses (31%). Eighteen patients h ad stable disease (40%) and seven patients progressive disease (16%). Media n progression;free survival was 8.8 months and median survival 16.4 months. Grade 3 to 4 toxicity occurred in 20% of the patients. Performance status improved in 56% of the patients. Conclusion, - The bimonthly regimen is well tolerated in elderly patients a nd appears to prolong survival as well in younger patients. (C) 1999 Editio ns scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.