A Japanese randomized trial found that a 14-day schedule of trifluridine-tipiracil plus bevacizumab keeps patients with metastatic colorectal cancer alive as long as the standard 28-day schedule, with far less toxicity.
- The 970 patients had cancer that no longer responded to standard chemotherapy.
- Median overall survival was 11.3 months with the shorter schedule and 10.3 months with the standard one.
- Severe neutropenia fell from 39% to 13%.
The trial was built to show the shorter schedule is not worse, not that it is better. Both treatment-related deaths happened on the shorter schedule.
Journal Article by Sakakida T, Taniguchi H (…) Masuishi T et 37 al. in Lancet
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