Since the release of oxaliplatin in Japan in April 2005, FOLFOX <

Since the release of oxaliplatin in Japan in April 2005, FOLFOX therapy has rapidly become widespread, and it is described in the Guidelines for Management of Colon Cancer [3] (published in July 2005) as the standard therapy for unresectable advanced/recurrent colorectal cancer. FOLFOX4 therapy has thus become a standard therapeutic option for advanced/recurrent colorectal cancer in many countries. In addition, FOLFOX6 [11] therapy without bolus administration of 5-FU/LV on the second day has been developed to reduce adverse reactions and simplify treatment, selleck screening library and it is widely

used as part of the trend for chemotherapy to be given on an ambulatory basis. Although the safety and efficacy of L-OHP+5-FU/l-LV therapy (original FOLFOX6) have already been investigated in Japan, little has been reported about mFOLFOX6 therapy, in which the dose of oxaliplatin is reduced to 85 mg/m2 (the dose covered by the Japanese national health insurance scheme) [12]. In addition, there is still no standard therapy for elderly Ilomastat patients with colon cancer. Generally, the pharmacokinetics of drugs in elderly patients differs from those in younger Temsirolimus purchase patients due to decreased organ function associated with aging [13, 14]. As a result, adequate treatment may not be provided to elderly patients compared with non-elderly patients due to fear of adverse drug reactions, and the examination of appropriate administration

methods for the elderly has not been pursued adequately.

In recent years, it has been confirmed that molecular-targeting drugs, including bevacizumab, are effective for colon cancer [15], and these drugs are already included as part of standard therapy in Western countries. Kabbinavar et al. reported that age had no influence on the safety of the combined administration of bevacizumab with 5FU-based chemotherapy [16], and concomitant use of a molecular-targeting drug that may be less toxic is expected to be a possible treatment option for elderly patients. Since the release of bevacizumab in Japan in June 2007, molecular targeting therapy has rapidly become widespread, however, concomitant use of bevacizumab is still often difficult in elderly patients because of PAK6 concern about serious adverse events such as thrombosis and gastrointestinal perforation [15, 17, 18]. It is known that completing the administration of 5-FU/LV, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin according to the recommended schedule increases the survival time [19]. Thus, FOLFIRI and FOLFOX are still needed for combined therapy and it is considered extremely important to establish the safety of these regimens in elderly patients. Accordingly, we examined the safety and efficacy of mFOLFOX6 therapy in elderly patients over 70 years old when the dose of oxaliplatin was reduced to 85 mg/m2 (the dose covered by the national health insurance scheme).

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