I read with great interest the recent article by Hameed et al in a recent issue of your journal.Citation1 The article is very interesting. Interestingly, the past few years have seen the emergence of capecitabine as a highly potent first-line chemotherapeutic agent against advanced systemic carcinomas other than colorectal carcinoma.
For instance, capecitabine has recently been used successfully as a first-line monotherapeutic agent for HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer.Citation2 Cotherapy with agents such as sorafenib and paclitaxel for HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer has also been recently used first-line, and significantly improves progression-free survival, in addition to being very safe.Citation3,Citation4 Similarly, in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma, capecitabine has been used successfully as first-line therapy in combination with agents such as cisplatin.Citation5 The XELOX regimen comprising capecitabine in conjunction with oxaliplatin is another recent highly effective alternative for gastric carcinoma.Citation6 The modified XELIRI regimen compromising capecitabine and irinotecan is a further option for advanced and unresectable gastric carcinoma.Citation7
Capecitabine also improves the short-term response in patients with esophageal carcinoma when used as an adjunct to radiotherapy.Citation8 Further, a response rate of 26.7% has recently been reported in patients with advanced biliary carcinoma treated with a combination of capecitabine and fixed dose rate gemcitabine therapy.Citation9 Similarly, capecitabine has recently been shown to be highly effective in the management of patients with recalcitrant castrate-resistant prostate cancer when used in combination with prednisone, thalidomide, and cyclophosphamide.Citation10 Capecitabine in combination with cisplatin has also been used as first-line therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with a response rate as high as 53.8%.Citation11
The above examples clearly illustrate the efficacy of capecitabine as a potent agent against multiple carcinomas, ranging from breast carcinoma to nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Further studies are needed to identify further potential applications of capecitabine in other advanced carcinomas.
Disclosure
The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.
References
- HameedHCassidyJUse of capecitabine in management of early colon cancerCancer Manag Res2011329529921931503
- O’ShaughnessyJAKaufmannMSiedentopfFCapecitabine monotherapy: review of studies in first-line HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancerOncologist3142012 [Epub ahead of print.]
- BaselgaJSegallaJGRocheHSorafenib in combination with capecitabine: an oral regimen for patients with HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancerJ Clin Oncol3122012 [Epub ahead of print.]
- ChitapanaruxIKamnerdsupaphonPTharavichitkulECapecitabine and weekly paclitaxel as first-line therapy in Thai patients with metastatic breast cancerAsia Pac J Clin Oncol20128768222369447
- WuJRyanTLevinsonBNewmanEHochsterHSMuggiaFCisplatin with capecitabine: tolerance and activity in a Phase I/II study preferentially enrolling patients with gastric cancerAnticancer Res20123293994522399614
- XiangXJZhangLQiuFA Phase II study of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin as first-line chemotherapy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancerChemotherapy2012581722310723
- LuoHYWangZQWangFHPhase 2 study of capecitabine and irinotecan combination chemotherapy (modified XELIRI regimen) in patients with advanced gastric cancerAm J Clin Oncol20113455556022101386
- ShengWFengXZHanJQEfficacy of late accelerated hyperfractionated conformal radiotherapy combined with capecitabine for esophageal carcinomaZhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi20113370270622340054
- SantiniDVirziVVasileEA Phase II trial of fixed-dose rate gemcitabine plus capecitabine in metastatic/advanced biliary tract cancer patientsOncology201282758222327844
- MengLJWangJFanWFPuXLLiuFYYangMEvaluation of oral chemotherapy with capecitabine and cyclophosphamide plus thalidomide and prednisone in prostate cancer patientsJ Cancer Res Clin Oncol201213833333922134838
- ChuaDTYiuHHSeetalaromKPhase II trial of capecitabine plus cisplatin as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal cancerHead Neck11112011 [Epub ahead of print.]