Published online Jun 21, 2016. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i23.5400
Peer-review started: August 18, 2015
First decision: November 26, 2015
Revised: January 12, 2016
Accepted: January 30, 2016
Article in press: January 30, 2016
Published online: June 21, 2016
Processing time: 299 Days and 21.9 Hours
AIM: To analyze the efficacy of last line sorafenib treatment in colorectal cancer patients.
METHODS: All patients receiving chemotherapy for colorectal cancer in the outpatient clinic of the University of Mainz since 2006 were retrospectively analyzed for last line sorafenib exposure. Charts of identified patients were analyzed for clinic-pathological parameters, like data on gender, age, date of initial diagnosis, UICC stage, number and kind of the pre-therapies, therapy start and end of sorafenib, sorafenib mediated treatment cessation, side effects, response rates, time to progression and overall survival.
RESULTS: Ten patients with a median of 3.0 prior chemotherapy lines had received a last line sorafenib therapy either alone (10%) or in combination with 5-fluorouracil derivates (90%). All patients suffered from colorectal cancer stage UICC 4 and were routinely seen in 2-wk intervals in the oncology outpatient clinic. Median duration of treatment was 142.0 d. At 8 wk 80% of patients showed stable disease but we did not observe any remissions. Median time to progression was 140.5 d (4.7 mo), while median overall survival reached 176.5 d. One patient ceased treatment due to side effects. Reason for treatment stop was bleeding complication in one case and non-specified sorafenib intolerance in another case. Due to the retrospective approach we did not further quantify side effects.
CONCLUSION: This retrospective analysis encourages further investigation of sorafenib in colorectal cancer last line therapy.
Core tip: In this restrospective analysis we demonstrate that sorafenib monotherapy or in combination with 5-fluorouracil derivates seems to be feasible. Eighty percent of the patients showed stable disease with a median time to progression of 140.5 d and acceptable toxicity profile. In our eyes, the reported overall as well as progression free survival under sorafenib treatment are of clinical and financial interest.