FOLFOXIRI is a

chemotherapy regimen A chemotherapy regimen is a regimen for chemotherapy, defining the drugs to be used, their dosage, the frequency and duration of treatments, and other considerations. In modern oncology, many regimens combine several chemotherapy drugs in combina ...

for The treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. The role of FOLFOXIRI in colorectal cancer has been reviewed. The chemotherapy regimen is made up of the following four drugs: * FOL – folinic acid (leucovorin), a vitamin B derivative that modulates/potentiates/reduces the side effects of fluorouracil; * F –

fluorouracil Fluorouracil (5-FU), sold under the brand name Adrucil among others, is a cytotoxic chemotherapy medication used to treat cancer. By intravenous injection it is used for treatment of colorectal cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, panc ...

(5-FU), a pyrimidine analog and antimetabolite which incorporates into the DNA molecule and stops DNA synthesis; * OX – oxaliplatin (Eloxatin), a

platinum-based antineoplastic Platinum-based antineoplastic drugs (informally called platins) are chemotherapeutic agents used to treat cancer. They are coordination complexes of platinum. These drugs are used to treat almost half of people receiving chemotherapy for cancer. ...

agent, which inhibits

DNA repair DNA repair is a collection of processes by which a cell identifies and corrects damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome. In human cells, both normal metabolic activities and environmental factors such as radiation can cause DNA d ...

and/or DNA synthesis; * IRI –

irinotecan Irinotecan, sold under the brand name Camptosar among others, is a medication used to treat colon cancer, and small cell lung cancer. For colon cancer it is used either alone or with fluorouracil. For small cell lung cancer it is used with cispl ...

(Camptosar), a topoisomerase inhibitor, prevents DNA from uncoiling and duplicating. It is usually given with

bevacizumab Bevacizumab, sold under the brand name Avastin among others, is a medication used to treat a number of types of cancers and a specific eye disease. For cancer, it is given by slow injection into a vein (intravenous) and used for colon cancer, ...

, unlike FOLFIRINOX for treatment of advanced

pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a mass. These cancerous cells have the ability to invade other parts of the body. A number of types of pancr ...

. Also, the doses (Day 1: irinotecan 165 mg/m2 IV, plus oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 IV; Day 1: leucovorin 400 mg/m2; Days 1–3: fluorouracil 1,600 mg/m2/day × 2 days (total 3,200 mg/m2 over 48 hours) continuous infusion starting on day 1; Day 1: bevacizumab 5 mg/kg IV; repeat cycle every 2 weeks) are slightly dissimilar to FOLFIRINOX. Upfront FOLFOXIRI with bevacizumab can be followed by fluoropyrimidine with bevacizumab maintenance.

References

{{reflist, 30em Chemotherapy regimens used in colorectal cancer

See also

References