Continuous Infusion 5-Fluorouracil and Folinic Acid in Disseminated Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Twenty-two patients with disseminated adenocarcinoma of the large bowel received therapy with 5-fluorouracil 800-1000 mg/m² as a 24 h infusion for 4 consecutive days with 60 mg/m² intravenous folinic acid administered every 6 hours. Major responses were seen in 3 of 20 (15%) evaluablepatients, for a median of 5 months. Mucositis was the major toxicity occurring in 80% of patients. Folinic acid resulted in an additional $960/m² per therapeutic course without improvement of response rate or survival at this dose and schedule.