Oxaliplatin, Capecitabine, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Cancer of the Rectum

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2010-05-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin and capecitabine, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Oxaliplatin and capecitabine may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy and may kill more tumor cells. Giving chemotherapy with radiation therapy before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it can be removed.

PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of oxaliplatin and capecitabine when given together with radiation therapy and to see how well they work in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for locally advanced cancer of the rectum. NOTE: *The phase I portion of this trial closed 06/2005. The best dose of oxaliplatin and capecitabine has been determined.

• Phase: Phase 1/Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Roswell Park Cancer Institute
• Treatments: Capecitabine; Oxaliplatin

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the rectum

• Tumor involving the distal 12 cm of the rectum (above the anal verge)

• Clinically staged by endoscopic ultrasound with one of the following criteria:

• T3-T4 disease

• Evidence of lymph node involvement, defined by the presence of ≥ 1 enlarged peri-rectal lymph node (≥ 1 cm in size)

• No known distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 to 75

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1 OR

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 1 year

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3

• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal

• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

• Creatinine normal OR

• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure

• No unstable angina pectoris

• No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

• Able to receive oral medication

• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer

• No prior or concurrent significant neuropathy

• No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to study drugs

• No ongoing or active infection

• No other concurrent uncontrolled illness

• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

• Not pregnant or nursing

• Negative pregnancy test

• Fertile patients must use effective double-method contraception during and for 3 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No concurrent granulocyte-stimulating factors

Chemotherapy

• No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• No prior pelvic radiotherapy

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• No other concurrent investigational agents

• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies