Immediate Compared With Delayed Chemotherapy in Advanced Colorectal Cancer Without Signs or Symptoms of Disease

A Phase III Study of Immediate Versus Delayed Chemotherapy for Asymptomatic Advanced Colorectal Cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known which treatment regimen is more effective for colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of immediate with delayed fluorouracil plus leucovorin in treating patients with advanced colorectal cancer without signs or symptoms of disease.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Colorectal Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: fluorouracil; Drug: leucovorin calcium

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare survival and quality of life in asymptomatic patients with advanced colorectal cancer randomized to immediate fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/CF) vs. 5-FU/CF delayed until onset of symptoms.

OUTLINE: Randomized, unblinded study. Arm I: Single-Agent Chemotherapy with Drug Modulation. Fluorouracil, 5-FU, NSC-19893; with Leucovorin calcium, CF, NSC-3590. Arm II: Observation followed by Single-Agent Chemotherapy with Drug Modulation. Clinical observation until symptomatic; followed by 5-FU; with CF.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: 144 patients will be entered over 4 years.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 67
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Arizona
    • Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, 85259-5404
      • CCOP - Scottsdale Oncology Program
  • Illinois
    • Peoria, Illinois, United States, 61602
      • CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association
    • Urbana, Illinois, United States, 61801
      • CCOP - Carle Cancer Center
  • Iowa
    • Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States, 52403-1206
      • CCOP - Cedar Rapids Oncology Project
    • Des Moines, Iowa, United States, 10309-1016
      • CCOP - Iowa Oncology Research Association
    • Sioux City, Iowa, United States, 51101-1733
      • Siouxland Hematology-Oncology
  • Louisiana
    • New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, 70121
      • CCOP - Ochsner
  • Michigan
    • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48106
      • CCOP - Ann Arbor Regional
  • Minnesota
    • Duluth, Minnesota, United States, 55805
      • CCOP - Duluth
    • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
      • Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
    • Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States, 56303
      • CentraCare Clinic
  • North Dakota
    • Bismarck, North Dakota, United States, 58501
      • Quain & Ramstad Clinic, P.C.
    • Fargo, North Dakota, United States, 58122
      • CCOP - Merit Care Hospital
    • Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States, 58201
      • Altru Health Systems
  • South Dakota
    • Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, 57709
      • Rapid City Regional Hospital
    • Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, 57105-1080
      • CCOP - Sioux Community Cancer Consortium

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 79 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically confirmed cancer of the colon or rectum that is locally advanced or metastatic Primary lesion was or is located in the large bowel as confirmed by endoscopy, radiology, or surgery Radiologic or clinical evidence of metastasis subsequent to resection does not require histologic or cytologic confirmation unless: Interval between primary surgery and development of metastasis is greater than 5 years OR Primary cancer was Dukes' A or B1 Ineligible for potentially curative therapy, e.g.: Surgical resection of a limited hepatic or pulmonary metastasis Irradiation of locally recurrent colon or rectal cancer No or minimal symptoms related to the cancer, i.e.: No persistent pain requiring regular narcotic analgesia No persistent fever greater than 38 degrees C No symptomatic bowel obstruction No persistent nausea requiring medication No weight loss of greater than 5 kg over the previous 3 months unless clearly not associated with the cancer (e.g., associated with surgery or intercurrent illness) Symptomatic relapse/metastases rendered asymptomatic by secondary surgery or radiotherapy are eligible provided the patient remains asymptomatic for at least 6 weeks following such treatment No CNS metastases No significant ascites, pleural effusion, or pericardial effusion

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Adult under 80 (i.e., of legal age to sign own informed consent according to institutional policy) Performance status: Karnofsky 90-100% ECOG 0 Hematopoietic: Granulocytes at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine less than 2.26 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No arrhythmia Other: No infection No other medical condition that is uncontrolled or could be aggravated by the protocol therapy No prior or concurrent second cancer except: Nonmelanomatous skin cancer In situ cervical cancer No pregnant women Adequate contraception required of fertile patients Blood/body fluid analyses to determine eligibility and quality-of-life questionnaire completed within 14 days prior to randomization; imaging studies of sites of disease completed within 28 days prior to randomization

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease or local recurrence Prior fluorouracil-based or other adjuvant therapy allowed At least 6 months required between completion of therapy and documentation of metastasis or recurrence Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: Prior radiotherapy allowed Surgery: Prior surgery allowed

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Observation
Active Comparator: Fluorouracil and folinic acid	Drug: fluorouracil; 425 mg/m2 IV by bolus injection daily for 5 consecutive days q 28 days; Drug: leucovorin calcium; 20 mg/m2 IV - number of cycles is determined by patient and physician

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Survival	8 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Time to progression	8 years
Quality of life	8 years
Toxicity	8 years
response rate	8 years
response duration	8 years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: NCIC Clinical Trials Group
• Collaborators: North Central Cancer Treatment Group
• Investigators: Study Chair: Henry C. Pitot, MD, Mayo Clinic

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Hummer A, Carlo W, Sullivan D, et al.: Extensive hepatic resection does not correlate with toxicity following adjuvant chemotherapy. [Abstract] Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 21: A-526, 2002.
• Ackland SP, Jones M, Tu D, Simes J, Yuen J, Sargeant AM, Dhillon H, Goldberg RM, Abdi E, Shepherd L, Moore MJ. A meta-analysis of two randomised trials of early chemotherapy in asymptomatic metastatic colorectal cancer. Br J Cancer. 2005 Nov 28;93(11):1236-43. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6602841.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 15, 1994
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2000
• Study Completion (Actual): February 10, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 1999
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 30, 2004
• First Posted (Estimate): August 31, 2004

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 6, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 2, 2020
• Last Verified: April 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: stage IV rectal cancer; stage IV colon cancer; recurrent colon cancer; recurrent rectal cancer; stage III colon cancer; stage III rectal cancer
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Digestive System Diseases; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Digestive System Neoplasms; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Colonic Diseases; Intestinal Diseases; Intestinal Neoplasms; Rectal Diseases; Colorectal Neoplasms; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Antimetabolites; Antineoplastic Agents; Immunosuppressive Agents; Immunologic Factors; Protective Agents; Micronutrients; Vitamins; Calcium-Regulating Hormones and Agents; Antidotes; Vitamin B Complex; Fluorouracil; Leucovorin; Calcium; Levoleucovorin
• Other Study ID Numbers: CO10; CAN-NCIC-CO10 (Other Identifier: PDQ); NCCTG-JCO10 (Other Identifier: NCCTG); NCI-V94-0463 (Other Grant/Funding Number: NCI); CDR0000063607 (Other Identifier: PDQ)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No