Irinotecan as second-line treatment for unresectable liver metastases of colon cancer

A 53-year-old woman had shown repeated, partial responses to chemotherapy for large, multiple liver metastases of sigmoid colon cancer. After a partial response to 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin therapy, an 89.7% reduction of the 5-fluorouracil-resistant metastatic tumor was achieved by giving CPT-11 (irinotecan) at a dose of 100 mg/body per week. We suggest that CPT-11 should be recommended as an effective second-line treatment for unresectable liver metastases of colon cancer, after 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy.