Oxaliplatin and UFT/oral calcium folinate for advanced colorectal carcinoma.

Oxaliplatin is a unique platinum compound with single-agent activity in both chemotherapy-naïve colorectal cancer patients and patients who progressed on 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The combination of oxaliplatin and 5-FU has demonstrated preclinical synergy, and recent clinical trials have demonstrated enhanced activity for the combination in the clinical setting as well. UFT (uracil plus tegafur in a 4:1 molar ratio) plus oral calcium folinate (Orzel) is an oral fluoropyrimidine with several potential advantages over intravenous 5-FU and known activity in colorectal cancer. The current trial was designed to evaluate the role of these agents in combination in the treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.