Aim: This is a multicenter phase II study to assess the efficacy and toxicity of the 5-FU, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FLOX) (SWIFT 3) regimen in Japanese patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC).
Patients and methods: Fifty-two patients were enrolled and evaluated from 12 institutions. The median age was 66 years, with 40.4% of patients with colon cancer and 59.6% with rectal cancer.
Results: Forty-one patients underwent chemotherapy for first-line therapy and 11 patients for second-line. The response rate for first-line was 46.3% and that for second-line was 9.1%. The response rates categorized by metastatic sites were 59.4% for liver, 33.3% for lung, and 22.2% for lymph nodes. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 21.2% and Grade 3/4 non-hematologic toxicity in 46.1%. There were no deaths within 60 days following the administration.
Conclusion: Standard FLOX regimen can be administered for Japanese patients. It is suggested that FLOX is an appropriate option for adjuvant therapy in CRC.