Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Short Course Radiotherapy in Rectal Cancer

Induction Chemotherapy With FOLFIRINOX ( 5 Fluorouracil, Oxaliplatine and Irinotecan) Followed by Short Course Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

A Single-arm phase II trial evaluating induction chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOXm followed by short course radiotherapy (RT) in locally advanced rectal carcinoma

Total neoadjuvant treatment (TNT) is currently the standard of care in the management of locally advanced rectal cancer since recent studies have shown improved pathological complete response and disease-free survival with this approach. However, survival benefits remain unproven. Two strategies of TNT are validated so far : induction chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOX followed by long course radio-chemotherapy (RCT) or short course RT (5x5 Gy) followed by consolidation chemotherapy with CAPOX (capecitabine and oxaliplatin) or FOLFOX (5 FU and oxaliplatin) . The objective of investigators is to evaluate pathological complete response with a new strategy of TNT consisting in induction chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOXm followed by short course RT and a delayed surgery.

Induction chemotherapy with modified 5 fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and irinotecan followed by short course radiotherapy ( 5x5 Gy), then 5 fluorouracil and oxaliplatin based chemotherapy. Surgery will be performed 6 to 8 weeks after completion of RT.

Induction chemotherapy with six cycles of modified 5 fluorouracil,oxaliplatin and irinotecan followed by short course radiotherapy (RT) (5x5 Gy), then two cycles of 5 fluorouracil and oxaliplatin based chemotherapy and surgery will be performed 6 to 8 weeks after completion of RT. After surgery , continuation of chemotherapy with 4 cycles of 5 fluorouracil and oxaliplatin regardless of pathological response

no tumor identified in the rectum or associated lymph nodes by final pathology following surgical resection

Inclusion Criteria: World Health Organization (WHO) performance status : 0 or 1 Histologically proven rectal adenocarcinoma < 10 cm from anal margin on rectoscopy clinically T3 (cT3) or clinically T4 (cT4) and/ or N+ non metastatic rectal cancer Neutrophil count > 1500 e/mm3 Platelet count >100000 Hemoglobin > 10 g/dl ( transfusion allowed) Normal bilirubin level Creatinine clearance > 50 ml/mn Exclusion Criteria: Distant metastases History of chemotherapy or radiotherapy Grade 1 neuropathy Patient undergoing treatment for another cancer Active infection or severe comorbidities contraindicating chemotherapy

Fernandez-Martos C, Pericay C, Aparicio J, Salud A, Safont M, Massuti B, Vera R, Escudero P, Maurel J, Marcuello E, Mengual JL, Saigi E, Estevan R, Mira M, Polo S, Hernandez A, Gallen M, Arias F, Serra J, Alonso V. Phase II, randomized study of concomitant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery and adjuvant capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) compared with induction CAPOX followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy and surgery in magnetic resonance imaging-defined, locally advanced rectal cancer: Grupo cancer de recto 3 study. J Clin Oncol. 2010 Feb 10;28(5):859-65. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2009.25.8541. Epub 2010 Jan 11.

Conroy T, Bosset JF, Etienne PL, Rio E, Francois E, Mesgouez-Nebout N, Vendrely V, Artignan X, Bouche O, Gargot D, Boige V, Bonichon-Lamichhane N, Louvet C, Morand C, de la Fouchardiere C, Lamfichekh N, Juzyna B, Jouffroy-Zeller C, Rullier E, Marchal F, Gourgou S, Castan F, Borg C; Unicancer Gastrointestinal Group and Partenariat de Recherche en Oncologie Digestive (PRODIGE) Group. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOX and preoperative chemoradiotherapy for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (UNICANCER-PRODIGE 23): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2021 May;22(5):702-715. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00079-6. Epub 2021 Apr 13.