Chinese colorectal cancer trial
10,000 randomised
As colorectal cancer micro-metastases in the liver receive their blood supply chiefly from the portal circulation, a short course of chemotherapy directly into the portal vein might be particularly effective. In a collaborative meta-analysis organised by CTSU (about 4000 patients in 10 trials), portal vein infusion (PVI) of 5-FU for one week postoperatively appeared to produce an absolute improvement of a few per cent in five-year survival [49]. But although encouraging, this finding was not statistically definite, and 5-FU PVI is little used in routine practice.
Hence, with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, CTSU established the Chinese colorectal cancer trial of 5-FU PVI [50]. Recruitment started in August 1994 and more than 11,000 patients have been randomised in 200 Chinese hospitals, making it the largest-ever trial of colorectal cancer treatment. (As part of this randomised trial, a large study of the prognostic significance of colorectal cancer genotypes is also being conducted). The first results for long-term survival will be available in 2002.
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