[Prognostic factors and survival of metastatic colorectal cancer in the Sousse University Hospital (Tunisia): comparative study of two treatment period of 200 patients].

UNLABELLED: Between 1994 and 2005, 200 patients with metastatic colo-rectal cancers were treated in the Sousse CHU (Tunisia), we analysed two groups of patients, the group 1 was treated in the period after 1999 (N = 64), the group 2 was treated in the period between 1999 and 2005 (N = 136).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Mean age of the patients was 50 years, localisation of metastases was liver in 67.3% of cases, 23% of patients had multiple metastases, 44% of cases developed metastases after a median period of 11.4 months. All patients had received first line of chemotherapy, the regimen of chemotherapy was in the group 1, Fufol in the majority of cases (76%), the regimen of chemotherapy was in the group 2, simplified LV5FU2 associated to irinotecan in the majority of cases (83%), 28% of all patients received second line of chemotherapy.

RESULTS

The median survival was 13.8 months in the group 1 and 19 months in the group 2. Overall survival rates at 2 years were 35% and 42% (p = 0.02) in group 1 and 2, respectively. Prognostic factors for a better survival using univariate analysis were: normal ACE (P < 0.01), normal liver analysis (P < 0.001), response after 3 cycles of chemotherapy (P < 0.0005), resection of liver metastases (P < 0.05). The multivariate analysis (cox model) revealed only one independent factor: radiologic response after 3 cycles of chemotherapy (P < 0.03).

CONCLUSION

The prognostic of patients with metastatic disease is poor, although palliative chemotherapy after the recent advances and the use of new drugs have been shown to be able to prolong survival and to improve the quality of life over best supportive care. This study report amelioration of prognostic and survival of metastatic colorectal cancers in Tunisia.