Is FOLFOXIRI alone or combined with targeted therapy administered as first-line treatment a reasonable choice for most patients with mCRC? Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Abstract

e15018 Background: Controversy surrounds the question of whether the prognosis of most patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is improved using intensive administration of folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and irinotecan (FOLFOXIRI) alone or combined with target therapy as first-line treatment. Methods: We queried PubMed, the Cochrane Collaboration Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, ClinicalTrials.gov, the databases of the European Society for Medical Oncology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology to identify abstracts of randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacies and toxicities of intensive therapies used for first-line treatment of patients with mCRC. The search included articles dated from the inception of these resources until December 31, 2016. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and relative risks (RRs) for the objective response rate (ORR), the R0 resection rate, and toxicities. Results: Nine RCTs comprising 2,256 patients were included in this network meta-analysis. The PFS of patients administered FOLFOXIRI plus target therapy experienced prolonged PFS and OS and improved ORRs compared with FOLFOX or FOLFIRI plus target therapy (PFS: HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.91; OS: HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.65–0.98; ORR: HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.16–2.49; R0 resection rate: HR 2.66, 95% CI 1.86–3.82). There were no significant differences between PFS, OS, ORRs, or R0 resection rates and toxicities of patients administered FOLFOXIRI and FOLFOX or FOLFIRI plus target therapy. Further, FOLFOXIRI plus target therapy did not increase toxicities compared with FOLFOX or FOLFIRI plus target therapy, except for neutropenia. Conclusions: FOLFOXIRI plus target therapy when administered as first-line treatment of patients with mCRC is the best choice and did not significantly increase toxicities. FOLFOXIRI is as effective as FOLFOX or FOLFIRI plus target therapy.