Uracil-tegafur and leucovorin is an effective and safe option for the treatment of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer

This study investigated the effectiveness of uracil-tegafur and leucovorin (UFT/LV) treatment of liver metastasis (when the cancer spread to the liver) in colorectal cancer patients. Researchers suggested that UFT/LV is an effective and safe option for the treatment of liver metastasis after liver surgery. 

The liver is the most common site for colorectal cancer metastasis. Surgery is the standard treatment for operable liver metastasis. However, recurrence (when the cancer comes back) is still common and occurs in 70-80% of these patients at 5 years after surgery.

Liver surgery is an invasive surgery and patients who undergo this surgery can only tolerate specific types of treatment. UFT/LV is a combination of 5-fluorouracil with tegafur and leucovorin that can be taken orally and thus may benefit the patients with this condition.  

The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of UFT/LV treatment of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer patients after liver surgery.

In total 177 patients with colorectal liver metastasis were assigned to either undergo UFT/LV treatment after liver surgery (88 patients) or surgery alone (89 patients). The average follow-up period was 4.76 years.

Recurrence-free survival (RFS; time from treatment to recurrence – when the cancer comes back) and overall survival (OS; time from treatment to death by any cause) were measured.

3-year recurrence-free survival (time from treatment until the cancer returns) was higher in the UFT/LV group (38.6%) when compared to surgery alone group (32.3%). The UFT/LV group was 44% less likely to experience recurrence.

The 5-year overall survival (time from treatment until death from any cause) was similar between the UFT/LV (66.1%) and the surgery alone groups (66.8%).

During the follow-up period recurrences occured in 59 (68.5%) patients in the UFT/LV group and 61 (69.3%) in the surgery alone group. The liver was the most common site of recurrence in the UFT/LV group (40.7%) and in the surgery alone group (34.4%).   

This study concluded that oral UFT/LV chemotherapy is an effective and safe treatment option after liver surgery for patients with colorectal liver metastasis.