The effect of using combination chemotherapy in colorectal cancer in India: A single institute survey

S. M. Adiga¹, K. Meena Kumari¹, K. L. Bairy¹*,  A. Mohan Babu¹, B. M. Vadiraja², M. S. Vidyasagar²

¹Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal University, India.

²Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Kasturba Medical College and Hospital Manipal University, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: klbairy@yahoo.com.

Accepted 26 October, 2009

   Abstract

The incidence of colorectal cancer in India is on upward swing due to the change in dietary habits. This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of two commonly used regimens. In this study, colorectal cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy from 1997 - 2001 were included and followed up for a period of five years. The efficacy of the commonly used regimens was compared in terms of five year disease free survival. The three and five year disease free survivals of 5-fluorouracil monotherapy regimen were 42 and 22% repectively. The 5-fluorouracil +levamisolef regimen had a disease free survival of 48 and 24% in stage B at three and five years respectively in stage B. In stage C, the disease free survival at  three and five year were 22% and 10% in 5-fluorouracil treated group whereas it was 24% and 14% in 5-fluorouracil with levamisole treated group at similar time interval. We conclude that 5- fluorouracil+ levamisole regimen had no added benefit in various stages of colorectal cancer in terms of disease free survival in our patients compared to 5-fluorouracil.

Key words: Adjuvant chemotherapy, disease free survival, 5-fluorouracil, 5-fluorouracil + levamisole