Outcomes in 144 Patients With Colorectal Cancer Treated in a Phase I Clinic: The MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience

BackgroundPatients with advanced colorectal cancer have a poor prognosis once standard therapies fail. This retrospective study presents the characteristics and outcomes in 144 patients treated in phase I clinical trials.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes in 144 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer referred to the phase I clinic at MD Anderson.ResultsMedian age was 60 years (range, 35-86 years). The median number of previous systemic therapies was 4 (range, 1-7). The median PFS with the last line of conventional systemic treatment was 12.3 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.0-14.4); the median PFS of the best phase I treatment was shorter at 8.1 weeks (95% CI, 7.9-8.7 weeks; log-rank test, P < .0001). In the multivariate analysis that included the RMH score, sex (male vs. female, P = .02; hazard ratio [HR], 1.57), hemoglobin (< 10.5 vs. ≥ 10.5 g/dL; P = .03; HR 1.79), and the RMH score (2-3 vs. 0-1; P < .003; HR, 1.85) were significant predictors of poor survival. Conclusion: The PFS of patients with colorectal cancer in phase I treatment was shorter than it was on their last line of conventional systemic treatment. Multivariate analysis confirmed the value of the RMH score for predicting overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer enrolled in phase I studies.