During a phase I study of Iressa® (gefitinib) researchers found that Iressa® did not add substantial benefit to Camptosar® (irinotecan) for patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
Patients in the trial had colorectal cancer that had already progressed on chemotherapy, but they had not been treated with irinotecan. At the maximum tolerated dose, about one patient in ten had their tumors shrink on the combination treatment. Median survival time was a little over nine months.
Severe side effects included diarrhea in one-third of patients, lethargy in 15%, low white cells counts in 15%, lowered white cells and fever in 10%, and rash in 8%.
Led by Ian Chau and David Cunningham at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, the team concluded:
Irinotecan and gefitinib at this dose schedule was tolerable, but gefitinib did not appear to add substantial efficacy to irinotecan.
Their study was published online in the Annals of Oncology on February 23, 2007.
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