Oxaliplatin in the treatment of rectal cancer after surgery

This study investigated the role of oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) in treating patients with rectal cancer after surgery. Researchers suggested that this drug may be a good option in the treatment of rectal cancer.  

Chemotherapy is one of the standard treatments for rectal cancer. It usually consists of a combination of different drugs that help killing tumor cells. In more advanced cases chemotherapy is required after surgery. Thus far, only fluoropyrimidines such as fluorouracil (Adrucil) have been showed to improve survival. 

Oxaliplatin is often used in patients with rectal cancer. However, the role of oxaliplatin in patients who received chemotherapy and radiation therapy followed by surgery for rectal cancer remains unknown. 

This study included 321 patients with stage 2 and 3 rectal cancer. These patients received chemotherapy and radiation therapy followed by rectal surgery. Patients were assigned to receive fluorouracil and leucovorin (folinic acid) alone (FL) with and without oxaliplatin (FOLFOX). 

Patients in the FOLFOX group had an improved 6-year disease-free survival (68.2%; DFS, time from treatment to disease progression) when compared to the group without oxaliplatin (56.8%). These patients had a 37% improvement in the odds of a better 6-year DFS. Oxaliplatin improved the outcomes of patients with stage 3 cancer when compared to the patients in the FL alone group. These outcomes included the shrinkage of the tumor and lymph node spread of cancer cells.

Patients in the FOLFOX group had a 27% improvement in the odds of a better 6-year overall survival (78.1%) when compared to the FL group (76.4%).

This study concluded that oxaliplatin added to chemotherapy after chemoradiation therapy followed by rectal surgery improves the outcomes of patients with rectal cancer. 

This study was funded by Sanofi, the oxaliplatin manufacturer.