Comparison of l and dl forms of folinic acid in Gercor C96.1 trial (A phase III trial comparing bimonthly LV5FU2 to monthly high-dose 5FU-leucovorin in patients with Dukes’ B2 and C colon cancer)

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e15004 In C96.1 study (André T et al; J Clin Oncol. 2007 20;25:3732–8), patients were randomized to either monthly 5FU-LV hd (dl LV 200 mg/m2 or l LV 100 mg/m2 15 min iv followed by 5FU 400 mg/m2 15 min iv, d1–5 q4 wk) or LV5FU2 (dl LV 200 mg/m2 or l LV 100 mg/m2 2-hour infusion followed by iv bolus 5FU 400 mg/m2 and 22 hours continuous infusion 600 mg/m2, d1 and d2 q 2 wk). Form l LV was administered to 60% (n=519) of patients and dl LV to 40% (n=357) of patients. It was unknown in 29 patients. No randomization was made between form l or dl (It was the choice of each center). The aim of this analysis was to compare the 2 LV forms in term of safety and efficacy. Important prognostic characteristics were well balanced between the 2 groups. The proportion of any grade III-IV toxicity was 20% in l form and 17% in dl form. There was no difference in term of toxicity between the two groups, except a trend for more diarrhea grade 3–4 in form l (8% in l form vs 4% in dl form, p=0.07). The median follow-up time was 6.2 years in l form and 6.0 years in dl form. There were no statistically significant differences between l and dl forms in term of disease free survival (33.3% vs 32.8% of patients with at least one event in l and dl forms respectively, hazard ratio=1.03, 95% CI=[0.82–1.31], p=0.78). In term of overall survival, there was a trend without statistical significance in favor of l form (21.8% vs 25.5% of patients who died, hazard ratio=1.28, 95% CI=[0.97–1.69], p=0.078). We conclude that the toxicity profile is similar between the two forms (excepted diarrhea). The difference in overall survival should not be attributed to folinic acid form as no difference was observed on DFS. No significant financial relationships to disclose.