A case of colon cancer recurrence with P-glycoprotein treated by methotrexate, fluorouracil, and leucovorin

Hepatogastroenterology. 1999 May-Jun;46(27):1736-9.

Abstract

A 68 year-old female underwent right hemicolectomy for an advanced cecum cancer and had been well without any evidence of recurrence for a year after surgery. Despite post-operative treatment with oral Tegafur (400 mg/m2/day), CEA level increased gradually beginning 15 months after surgery. Sequential chemotherapy with methotrexate (MTX) and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), followed by leucovorin rescue (MFL) was started on an outpatient basis, and has been continued every 4 weeks since then. It consisted of MTX (100 mg/m2) and 5-FU (600 mg/m2) started 24 hours after MTX, followed by oral leucovorin (15 mg/body) started 30 hours after MTX 6 times at intervals of 6 hours. CEA level declined initially, but increased slowly for 3 years on MFL, although no evidence of recurrence was detected by imaging studies with computed tomography, ultrasound, and scintigram. Four years after surgery, a tumor recurrence developed in the abdominal wall. The patient underwent resection of the tumor, resulting in a decline of the CEA level. She has been alive and well for 5 years on MFL after the primary surgery. Both the original tumor and recurrent tumor showed immunoreactivity for P-glycoprotein. The present case demonstrates the feasibility of using MFL on an outpatient basis, and its potential to suppress the colon cancer growth with P-glycoprotein expression.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / analysis*
  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma / surgery
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Cecal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Cecal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cecal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Colectomy
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / administration & dosage
  • Fluorouracil / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Leucovorin / administration & dosage
  • Leucovorin / adverse effects
  • Methotrexate / administration & dosage
  • Methotrexate / adverse effects
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery

Substances

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Leucovorin
  • Fluorouracil
  • Methotrexate