![]()
BackgroundTreatment sequencing for patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has been highly debated. The thymidine-based nucleoside trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) and the multikinase inhibitor regorafenib have demonstrated clinical benefits in randomized phase III trials compared with placebo. However, limited data are available on the most optimal therapy sequence involving TAS-102 and regorafenib.Patients and MethodsIn the present retrospective, observational, real-life study, clinical data on mCRC patients treated with TAS-102 or an alternative salvage treatment at the Medical University of Vienna and University Hospital Zurich were collected from January 2013 to December 2016.ResultsA total of 85 patients whose disease had progressed during fluoropyrimidine-based therapy (FBT) with or without an antibody were included. The disease control rate in patients treated with TAS-102 after FBT-based treatment was 24% compared with 35% in patients treated with regorafenib after FBT-based treatment (adjusted odds ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-7.47; P = .449). The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for patients treated with TAS-102 was 2.8 months (quartile, 2.0-4.8 months) and 15.9 months, respectively. When the data were analyzed according to the subgroups of patients with or without an FBT-free period, the TAS-102–treated patients with a previous FBT-free interval had a PFS of 3.1 months and OS of 17.7 months compared with a PFS of 2.2 months and OS of 8.1 months for patients who received TAS-102 immediately after FBT.ConclusionOur results have confirmed the efficacy of TAS-102 and regorafenib in the real-life setting. The treatment sequence analysis showed a tendency for longer PFS and OS for TAS-102–treated patients after an FBT-free interval. Prospective randomized data are needed to gain more information about the most beneficial therapy sequence in the salvage treatment of mCRC. |
