Clinical trial NCT00002551: SWOG-9304 Chemotherapy Plus Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Rectal Cancer That Has Been Surgically Removed
Official title: Postoperative Evaluation of 5-FU by Bolus Injection vs. 5-FU by Prolonged Venous Infusion Prior to and Following Combined Prolonged Venous Infusion Plus Pelvic XRT vs. Bolus 5-FU Plus Leucovorin Plus Levamisole Prior to and Following Combined Pelvic XRT Plus Bolus 5-FU Plus Leucovorin in Patients With Rectal Cancer, Phase III
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE3
Conditions: Colorectal Cancer
Keywords: stage II rectal cancer
stage III rectal cancer
adenocarcinoma of the rectum
Lead sponsor: SWOG Cancer Research Network
Sponsor class: NETWORK
Collaborators: name: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
name: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
name: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
name: North Central Cancer Treatment Group
name: NCIC Clinical Trials Group
name: Cancer and Leukemia Group B
First posted: 2004-06-10
Enrollment: 1917
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. It is not yet known which treatment regimen is more effective for rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of different regimens of combination chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating patients who have rectal cancer that has been surgically removed.

Detailed description: OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the overall and relapse free survival of patients with stage II or III rectal cancer treated with one of the following three regimens: bolus injections of fluorouracil (5-FU) prior to and following pelvic irradiation plus protracted venous infusion (PVI) 5-FU radiosensitization vs PVI 5-FU prior to and following pelvic irradiation plus PVI 5-FU radiosensitization vs bolus 5-FU with leucovorin calcium and levamisole prior to and following pelvic irradiation. II. Describe relapse patterns and tolerance associated with these regimens in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to type of prior surgery (abdominoperineal resection vs anterior resection), nodal status (N0 vs N1 vs N2-3), depth of tumor invasion (T1-2 vs T3 vs T4a vs T4b), time from surgery to study entry (20-45 days vs 46-70 days), participating center, and performance status (0-1 vs 2). Patients are randomized to one of three treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive fluorouracil (5-FU) IV on days 1-5 and 29-33. 5-FU is then given as a continuous infusion beginning on day 57 and continuing concurrently with radiotherapy for 5 weeks. Following a 28 day break from treatment patients receive 5-FU IV on days 1-5 of a 28 day course. Postradiotherapy treatment repeats for a total of 2 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Arm II: Patients receive 5-FU IV continuously on days 1-42. 5-FU and radiotherapy are then administered as in arm II. Arm III: Patients receive leucovorin calcium (CF) IV followed by 5-FU IV on days 1-5 and 29-33. Patients also receive oral levamisole twice daily on days 1-3, 15-17, 29-31, and 43-45. CF IV and 5-FU IV are then given on days 57-60 and 85-88 concurrently with radiotherapy. Following a 28 day break from treatment patients receive CF IV and 5-FU IV on days 1-5 and 29-33 and oral levamisole twice daily on days 1-3, 15-17, 29-31, and 43-45 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. All patients receive radiotherapy 5 days per week for 5 weeks starting on day 57. Patients are followed every 4 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 4 years, and then annually until death.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 1,800 patients (600 per arm) will be accrued for this study.

Eligibility criteria: DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven stage II or III adenocarcinoma of the rectum Tumor extends through the bowel wall and into perirectal fat or soft tissue (TNM T3-4, N0, M0) Nodes are involved with tumor (TNM T1-4, N1-3, M0) Tumor completely resected en bloc with no gross or microscopic evidence of residual disease Circumferential (radial) margins of resected adherent tumors must be specifically documented free of disease (with the sole exception of extraperitoneal serosal margins) No evidence of metastasis No regional nodal metastases (metastases outside of the pelvis) that cannot be resected en bloc with the primary lesion No distant peritoneal metastases (metastases that are not a direct extension from the primary tumor) even if grossly resected (direct extension into another structure permitted) Abdominopelvic CT required unless: Bilirubin, SGOT, and alkaline phosphatase are within normal limits, AND Operative report describes liver as normal on exploration No tumors of colonic origin, i.e.: Lower edge of the tumor is below the peritoneal reflection or a portion of the tumor is retroperitoneally located (usually posteriorly) as defined by the surgeon at laparotomy OR Lower margin of the tumor is 12 cm or less from the anal verge by proctoscopic exam No prior history of rectal cancer No stage II or III cancers of the extrapelvic colon within the past 5 years Complete surgical resection at least 5 years prior to protocol registration allowed provided no other therapy was administered Synchronous modified stage I or IIa colorectal cancer (no nodal involvement or penetration through the muscularis propria) that has been completely resected allowed Registration between 20 and 70 days after the definitive surgical procedure required Chemotherapy must begin no later than day 70 following surgery Concurrent registration on protocol SWOG-9419 allowed for patients with adequate tissue samples

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 18 Performance status: SWOG 0-2 Hematopoietic: WBC at least 4,000/mm3 Platelet count normal Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) SGOT no greater than 2 times ULN Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN Renal: Not specified Other: No chronic ulcerative colitis No other serious medical illness that would preclude protocol therapy No psychiatric condition that would preclude informed consent No noncolorectal malignancy within 5 years except: Adequately treated nonmelanomatous skin cancer Adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior immunotherapy Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Other: No other concurrent antineoplastic therapy

Primary outcomes:
measure: Survival and Relapse-free survival
timeFrame: Until death
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Scottsdale
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Scottsdale Oncology Program
state: Arizona
city: Denver
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Colorado Cancer Research Program, Inc.
state: Colorado
city: Tampa
country: United States
facility: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
state: Florida
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University
state: Illinois
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Chicago (Lakeside)
state: Illinois
city: Evanston
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Evanston
state: Illinois
city: Peoria
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association
state: Illinois
city: Urbana
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Carle Cancer Center
state: Illinois
city: Cedar Rapids
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Cedar Rapids Oncology Project
state: Iowa
city: Des Moines
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Iowa Oncology Research Association
state: Iowa
city: Sioux City
country: United States
facility: Siouxland Hematology-Oncology
state: Iowa
city: New Orleans
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Ochsner
state: Louisiana
city: Boston
country: United States
facility: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
state: Massachusetts
city: Boston
country: United States
facility: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
state: Massachusetts
city: Ann Arbor
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Ann Arbor Regional
state: Michigan
city: Kalamazoo
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Kalamazoo
state: Michigan
city: Duluth
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Duluth
state: Minnesota
city: Minneapolis
country: United States
facility: University of Minnesota Cancer Center
state: Minnesota
city: Saint Louis Park
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Metro-Minnesota
state: Minnesota
city: Omaha
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium
state: Nebraska
city: East Orange
country: United States
facility: Veterans Affairs Medical Center - East Orange
state: New Jersey
city: Hackensack
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Northern New Jersey
state: New Jersey
city: Bronx
country: United States
facility: Albert Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center
state: New York
city: Bismarck
country: United States
facility: Quain & Ramstad Clinic, P.C.
state: North Dakota
city: Fargo
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Merit Care Hospital
state: North Dakota
city: Grand Forks
country: United States
facility: Altru Health Systems
state: North Dakota
city: Cleveland
country: United States
facility: Ireland Cancer Center
state: Ohio
city: Toledo
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Toledo Community Hospital Oncology Program
state: Ohio
city: Danville
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Geisinger Clinical and Medical Center
state: Pennsylvania
city: Philadelphia
country: United States
facility: Hahnemann University Hospital
state: Pennsylvania
city: Rapid City
country: United States
facility: Rapid City Regional Hospital
state: South Dakota
city: Sioux Falls
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Sioux Community Cancer Consortium
state: South Dakota
city: Marshfield
country: United States
facility: CCOP - Marshfield Medical Research and Education Foundation
state: Wisconsin
city: Milwaukee
country: United States
facility: Medical College of Wisconsin
state: Wisconsin
city: Milwaukee
country: United States
facility: Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Milwaukee (Zablocki)
state: Wisconsin
city: Regina
country: Canada
facility: Saskatchewan Cancer Agency
state: Saskatchewan
city: Pretoria
country: South Africa
facility: Pretoria Academic Hospital
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Kansas
name: Stephen R. Smalley, MD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center
name: Al B. Benson, MD, FACP
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
name: Jaffer A. Ajani, MD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: Mayo Clinic
name: Michael J. O'Connell, MD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: Cross Cancer Institute at University of Alberta
name: Anthony LA Fields, MD, FRCPC
role: STUDY_CHAIR
affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
name: Robert J. Mayer, MD, FACP
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References:
citation: Ulrich CM, Rankin C, Holmes RS, et al.: Polymorphisms in folate-metabolizing enzymes and response to 5-fluorouracil among stage II or III rectal cancer patients (SWOG 9304). [Abstract] American Society of Clinical Oncology 2008 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, 25-27 January 2008, Orlando, FL. A-309, 2008.
citation: Zhang W, Rankin CJ, Danenberg KD, et al.: An update of pharmacogenetic analysis of adjuvant rectal cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil and pelvic radiation in a phase III intergroup trial (INT-0144, SWOG 9304). [Abstract] J Clin Oncol 26 (Suppl 15): A-4115, 2008.
citation: Zhang W, Rankin C, Nagashima F, et al.: Pharmacogenetic analysis of stage II/III rectal cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil and pelvic radiation in a phase III intergroup trial (INT-0144, SWOG 9304). [Abstract] American Society of Clinical Oncology 2008 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, 25-27 January 2008, Orlando, FL. A-300, 2008.
citation: Smalley SR, Benedetti JK, Williamson SK, Robertson JM, Estes NC, Maher T, Fisher B, Rich TA, Martenson JA, Kugler JW, Benson AB 3rd, Haller DG, Mayer RJ, Atkins JN, Cripps C, Pedersen J, Periman PO, Tanaka MS Jr, Leichman CG, Macdonald JS. Phase III trial of fluorouracil-based chemotherapy regimens plus radiotherapy in postoperative adjuvant rectal cancer: GI INT 0144. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Aug 1;24(22):3542-7. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2005.04.9544.
citation: Smalley SR, Benedetti J, Williamson S, et al.: Intergroup 0144 - phase III trial of 5-FU based chemotherapy regimens plus radiotherapy (XRT) in postoperative adjuvant rectal cancer. Bolus 5-FU vs prolonged venous infusion (PVI) before and after XRT + PVI vs bolus 5-FU + leucovorin (LV) + levamisole (LEV) before and after XRT + bolus 5-FU + LV. [Abstract] Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 22: A-1006, 2003.