Response prediction in metastasised colorectal cancer using intratumoural thymidylate synthase: Results of a randomised multicentre trial

BackgroundMolecular markers to predict response to 5-fluorouracil (FU)-based treatment of recurrent or metastasised colorectal cancer (mCRC) are not established. The aim of this trial was to determine the value of thymidylate synthase (TS), a key enzyme of DNA synthesis and target of 5-FU, to predict response to chemotherapy of mCRC.MethodsTumour tissue was obtained from 168 patients with mCRC for relative thymidylate synthase (TS) mRNA quantitation. Patients were randomised to receive either 5-FU/folinic acid (FA, FUFA) alone or in combination with irinotecan 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) stratified by TS (low versus high). Primary end-point was overall response to first-line treatment among TS high patients. All parties, except for the randomisation centre, were blinded for TS status.ResultsBiopsies (n = 168) were taken without complications. TS levels were available for 147 patients (87.5%). Analysing response to FUFA and FOLFIRI in the per protocol set (n = 119) after un-blinding TS in the data base revealed a trend to better overall response to FOLFIRI (9/19, 47%) in TS high compared to FUFA (5/23, 22%, p = 0.077). In patients with biopsies taken from liver lesions (n = 91) overall response to FOLFIRI and FUFA in TS high was 53% (9/17) and 18% (3/17), respectively (p = 0.035). In patients with low TS, no remarkable difference in overall response to FOLFIRI and FUFA was observed.ConclusionsTaking a pre-treatment biopsy is a safe and feasible procedure in mCRC. After validation of our data in a larger group TS determination may have the potential to better help direct systemic treatment in patients with primarily non-resectable mCRC.