The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil in colorectal cancer depends on the mismatch repair status

Eur J Cancer. 2009 Feb;45(3):365-73. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2008.07.016. Epub 2008 Aug 21.

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate if mismatch repair (MMR) defective colorectal cancer has a different response to adjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy in a cohort of patients prospectively followed during 5 years.

Methods: The cohort included 754 surgically treated patients with colorectal cancer. MMR status was diagnosed by MLH1 and MSH2 immunohistochemistry and microsatellite instability analysis. Median follow-up was 49.2 months (range 1-73). At inclusion, 505 patients were diagnosed as TNM II or III stage, analysis of the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy was made on this population. Adjuvant chemotherapy was applied to 248 patients (98.2% 5-FU based).

Results: MMR deficiency was found in 76 patients (10.1%). No differences were found in overall survival (log-rank p=0.3) or disease-free survival (log-rank p=0.3) regarding MMR status. Adjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients in the II or III stage, but this improvement is only evident in patients with MMR-competent tumours (log-rank p=0.00001). Survival of patients with MMR-defective tumours does not improve with adjuvant chemotherapy (log-rank p=0.7). A multivariate analysis showed an independent effect of the interaction between MMR status and adjuvant chemotherapy (Hazard ratio 2.04; 95% confidence interval: 1.42-2.93).

Conclusion: In a cohort of colorectal cancer patients, those with MMR-deficient tumours seem not to benefit from 5-FU-based chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / methods
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / mortality
  • DNA Mismatch Repair / drug effects*
  • DNA Mismatch Repair / genetics
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microsatellite Instability / drug effects*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prospective Studies

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Fluorouracil