Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin Alone or in Combination With Cetuximab as First-Line Treatment for Metastatic EGFR-Positive Colorectal Cancer, A Randomized Multicenter Phase II Trial
Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin Alone or in Combination With Cetuximab as First-Line Treatment for Metastatic EGFR-Positive Colorectal Cancer, A Randomized Multicenter Phase II Trial
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine and oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Cetuximab may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known whether giving capecitabine and oxaliplatin together with cetuximab is more effective than capecitabine and oxaliplatin in treating colorectal cancer.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well giving capecitabine and oxaliplatin together with cetuximab works compared to capecitabine and oxaliplatin in treating patients with metastatic colorectal cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.
OBJECTIVES:
Secondary
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, randomized study. Patients are stratified according to performance status (0 vs 1), type of metastases (synchronous vs metachronous), prior adjuvant chemotherapy (yes vs no), and participating center. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.
In both arms, courses repeat every 3 weeks for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study treatment, patients will be followed every 3 months for 1 year and then every 6 months thereafter.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 74 patients (37 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 1.5 years.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
Histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic colorectal cancer
Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by CT scan
No prior or current CNS metastases
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
Age
Performance status
Life expectancy
Hematopoietic
Hepatic
Renal
Cardiovascular
Other
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
Biologic therapy
Chemotherapy
Endocrine therapy
Radiotherapy
Surgery
Other