In a nutshell
This study investigated whether neutropenia (NTP; loss of white blood cells) is related to improved survival in colorectal cancer patients treated with TAS-102. Researchers suggested that patients who experience NTP after one month of treatment have an improved overall survival.
Some background
Chemotherapy is used to treat cancer, to reduce symptoms and prolong survival. Chemotherapy agents attack cancer cells, slowing down cancer progression. Different chemotherapy drugs can be used and often are combined to increase effectiveness. TAS-102 is a new chemotherapy that combines trifluridine and tipiracil hydrochloride and is used to treat metastatic (spread to other parts of the body) colorectal cancer. Prior studies showed an improved overall survival in patients who experienced NTP after one cycle (1 month) of therapy with TAS-102. However, this study used a limited number of patients from only one medical center.
Methods & findings
The objective of this study was to investigate whether NTP after 1 month of treatment with TAS-102 is associated with an improved overall survival in colorectal cancer patients.
This study included information about 149 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. All patients were treated with TAS-102 for one treatment cycle (1 month) and the number of white blood cells was assessed. Patients with NTP had less than 1500/mm3 of white blood cells.
Patients with NTP had a progression-free survival (time from treatment to cancer progression) of 3 months compared to 2.4 months in patients without NTP. Patients with NTP had a longer survival (14 months) than patients without NTP (5.6 months). Patients with NTP had 79% improvement in the odds of a better survival.
The bottom line
This study showed that NTP is a good predictor of cancer outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with TAS-102.
Published By :
BMC cancer
Date :
Jul 15, 2016
