Table 2.
Comparison of the characteristics of patients treated by triplet or doublet induction chemotherapy regimen.
| Characteristics | Triplet Chemotherapy n = 60 |
Doublet Chemotherapy n = 73 |
p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient characteristics | ||||
| Age (years), mean (range) | 61 (26–78) | 68 (41–88) | <0.001 | |
| Performance status, n (%) | 0 | 33 (55) | 24 (33) | 0.006 |
| 1 | 25 (42) | 36 (49) | ||
| 2 | 2 (3) | 13 (18) | ||
| Colorectal cancer clinical characteristics | ||||
| Primary tumour location, n (%) | Left colon | 18 (30) | 31 (44) | 0.038 |
| Right and transverse colon | 14 (23) | 22 (31) | ||
| Rectum | 28 (47) | 18 (25) | ||
| Metastatic status 1, n (%) | M1a (1 metastatic site) | 30 (50) | 33 (45) | 0.3 |
| M1b (≥2 metastatic sites) | 17 (28) | 16 (22) | ||
| M1c (peritoneal metastases) | 13 (22) | 24 (33) | ||
| Occurence of metastases, n (%) | Metachronous | 8 (13) | 23 (32) | 0.014 |
| Synchronous | 52 (87) | 50 (68) | ||
| CEA baseline (U/L), mean (range) | 683 (1–14,459) | 185 (0–4.593) | 0.003 | |
| Treament characteristics | ||||
| Induction chemotherapy duration (months), median (IQR) | 3.3 (2.4–4.6) | 3.7 (2.5–4.9) | 0.3 | |
| Induction targeted therapy, n (%) |
Anti-EGFR 2 | 14 (24) | 16 (22) | 0.032 |
| Anti-VEGF 3 | 34 (57) | 39 (54) | ||
| None | 7 (12) | 18 (25) | ||
| Induction therapy initial radiologic response, n (%) |
CR | 1 (2) | 4 (6) | 0.4 |
| PR | 48 (81) | 50 (71) | ||
| SD | 9 (15) | 12 (17) | ||
| PD | 1 (2) | 4 (6) | ||
| Induction therapy biological response | CEA nadir, (U/L), mean (range) | 39 (1–627) | 20 (0–246) | 0.072 |
| CEA delta (%),mean | 70 | 44 | 0.047 | |
| Maintenance chemotherapy regimen, n (%) | Doublet chemotherapy (FOLFOX, FOLFIRI(3), CAPOX) |
31 (53) | 0 (0) | <0.001 |
| Single chemotherapy (LV5FU2, Capecitabine) |
17 (19) | 49 (73) | ||
| No chemotherapy | 10 (17) | 18 (27) | ||
| Primary tumour resection, n (%) | 42 (70) | 53 (74) | 0.6 | |
| Metastases local treatment, n (%) | Liver | 25 (42) | 19 (26) | 0.056 |
| Liver surgery | 24 (40) | 15 (21) | 0.014 | |
| Lung | 8 (13) | 9 (12) | 0.9 | |
| Peritoneum | 8 (13) | 5 (7) | 0.2 | |
| Total | 37 (62) | 33 (45) | 0.059 | |
CEA: carcinoembryonic antigen; FOLFOX: 5-FU and Oxaliplatin; FOLFIRI: 5-FU and Irinotecan; CAPOX: Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin; LV5FU2: 5-FU and Leucovorin; EGFR: epidermal growth factor receptor; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor; CR: complete response; PR: partial response; SD: stable disease; PD: progressive disease; 1: TNM AJCC 8th edition; 2: Anti-EGFR: Panitumumab, Cetuximab; 3: Anti-VEGF: Bevacizumab, Aflibercept. Bold numbers: p < 0.05.