Continuous oral capecitabine at fixed dose in patients older than 75 years with metastatic colorectal and gastric cancer: a study of the Multidisciplinary Oncology Group on Gastrointestinal Tumors

• Published in: Anti-cancer drugs Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 91 - 96
• Main Authors: Petrioli, Roberto, Pascucci, Alessandra, Francini, Edoardo, Marsili, Stefania, Fiaschi, Anna Ida, Civitelli, Serenella, Tanzini, Gabriello, Battistelli, Sandra, Lorenzi, Marco, Roviello, Franco, Francini, Guido
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 01-01-2008
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - administration & dosage; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - adverse effects; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - therapeutic use; Capecitabine; Colorectal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; Deoxycytidine - administration & dosage; Deoxycytidine - adverse effects; Deoxycytidine - analogs & derivatives; Deoxycytidine - therapeutic use; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Fluorouracil - administration & dosage; Fluorouracil - adverse effects; Fluorouracil - analogs & derivatives; Fluorouracil - therapeutic use; Humans; Male; Neoplasm Metastasis; Stomach Neoplasms - drug therapy; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology
• ISSN: 0959-4973; 1473-5741
• DOI: 10.1097/CAD.0b013e3282f21363

The aim of this study was to investigate the safety profile of continuous oral capecitabine at fixed dose in patients older than 75 years, having metastatic colorectal and gastric cancer. Capecitabine was administered at a fixed dose of 2000 mg daily without interruptions. Thirty-four patients were considered evaluable for toxicity and efficacy. The median age was 81 years (range 76–85). The median duration of treatment was 113 days (range 24–238 days). No grade 4 toxicity was observed. One patient had grade 3 nausea and vomiting, and one had grade 3 diarrhea. Partial responses were observed in six patients with colorectal cancer, and in one patient with gastric cancer. This study suggests that continuous oral capecitabine at a fixed daily dose of 2000 mg is well tolerated, and that it allows for the simplification and ease of dosing in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal and gastric cancer.