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Bi-weekly Cetuximab Combined With 5-fluorouracil/Leucovorin/Oxaliplatin (FOLFOX-6) in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Phase 2
Completed
Conditions
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT01051167
Lead Sponsor
Martin Schuler, Prof. Dr. med.
Brief Summary

Cetuximab is normally given as a weekly schedule in the therapy of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

In order to improve the convenience for the patients in first line-therapy this study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of a bi-weekly combination of cetuximab with FOLFOX.

Detailed Description

For years the effective treatment of advanced colorectal carcinoma (CRC) was limited to fluorouracil (5-FU). Combination of 5-FU or a 5-FU analog with oxaliplatin, which has some antitumor activity as a single agent, shows synergistic activity. Combining oxaliplatin with a twice monthly folinic acid/5-FU schedule leads to a further improvement in first-line treatment of advanced CRC thus emerging to a standard regimen in first-line therapy of metastatic CRC.

Cetuximab is normally given as a weekly schedule. As recently shown a biweekly schedule with 500 mg/m² instead of the weekly standard regimen (initial dose of 400 mg/m² followed by 250 mg/m² every week) exhibits similar pharmacokinetic results with a comparable efficacy.

In order to improve the convenience for the patients, this study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of a bi-weekly combination of cetuximab with FOLFOX. Out of the various FOLFOX regimens the most convenient FOLFOX-6 schedule is chosen for the study, which has been tested before in two studies in combination with the standard weekly schedule of cetuximab. Recent data suggest a decreased efficacy of cetuximab in patients bearing a k-ras mutation in their CRC. Therefore only patients with no evidence for a mutated k-ras gene in the colorectal carcinoma cells will be included in this study.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
59
Inclusion Criteria
  • Histologically proven metastatic colorectal cancer
  • Molecular test showing no mutation in the k-ras gene of colorectal carcinoma cells
  • Male and female subjects ≥ 18 years of age
  • 1st occurrence of metastatic disease (not curatively resectable)
  • Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
  • Presence of at least 1 bi-dimensionally measurable index lesion (not in an irradiated area)
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤ 2 at study entry
  • Adequate bone marrow reserve:

leucocytes ≥ 3.0 x 109/l with neutrophils ≥ 1.5 x 109/l, platelets ≥ 100 x 109/l, haemoglobin ≥ 6.21 mmol/l (10 g/dl)

  • Aspartate-aminotransferase (ASAT) and alanine-aminotransferase (ALAT) ≤ 2.5 x upper reference range, in case of liver metastasis ≤ 5 x upper reference range
  • Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 x upper reference range
  • Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper reference range
  • Negative pregnancy test for female and effective contraception for both male and female subjects if the risk of conception exists
  • Signed written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
  • Evidence for a mutation of the k-ras gene in the colorectal carcinoma cells
  • Previous exposure to epidermal growth factor receptor-targeting therapy
  • Prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease
  • Prior oxaliplatin based adjuvant chemotherapy or < 6 months after end of adjuvant treatment
  • Other previous malignancy with exception of a history of a previous curatively treated basal cell carcinoma of the skin or pre-invasive carcinoma of the cervix
  • Radiotherapy, surgery (excluding prior diagnostic biopsy) or any investigational drug in the 30 days before registration
  • Concurrent chronic systemic immune therapy or hormone therapy not indicated in this study protocol
  • Creatinine clearance < 30 ml/min
  • Known hypersensitivity reaction to any of the components of study treatment
  • Pregnancy (absence to be confirmed by ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) test) or lactation period
  • Clinically relevant coronary artery disease, history of myocardial infarction in the last 12 months, or high risk of uncontrolled arrhythmia
  • Acute or sub-acute intestinal occlusion or history of inflammatory bowel disease
  • Brain metastasis (known or suspected)
  • Medical or psychological conditions that would not permit the subject to complete the study or sign informed consent
  • Known alcohol or drug abuse
  • Participation in another clinical study within the 30 days before registration
  • Peripheral neuropathy > grade 1
  • Significant disease which, in the investigator's opinion, would exclude the patient from the study
  • Legal incapacity or limited legal capacity

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Cetuximab + Folfox-6-regimeCetuximabCetuximab 500 mg/m² administered as an intravenous infusion over 120 minutes on day 1 every 2 weeks. Combined with the following FOLFOX-6-regime: Oxaliplatin 85 mg/m² i.v. for 2 h on day 1, Folinic acid 400 mg/m² i.v. for 2 h concurrently with Oxaliplatin on day 1, Fluorouracil 400 mg/m² i.v. bolus after Folinic Acid on day 1, followed by Fluorouracil 2400 mg/m² i.v. over 46 h.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Response rate (RECIST-Criteria)Every 8 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Secondary objectives: Safety, Quality of lifeEvery 2 weeks

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

University of Duisburg-Essen Medical School

🇩🇪

Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Krankenhaus gGmbH

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Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Prosper Hospital Recklinghausen

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Recklinghausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

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