This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (112)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

George A. Higgins, MD; Richard W. Dwight, MD; John V. Smith, MD; Robert J. Keehn

AMA Arch Surg. 1971;102(4):339-343.

Abstract
A group of 496 patients was entered into a randomized trial to study the possible value of fluorouracil in conjunction with surgical resection of carcinoma of the colon. Patients randomized to receive drug were given fluorouracil, 12 mg/kg body weight intravenously, for five successive days beginning 14 days after operation. Those termed clinically "curative" (A) and those termed clinically palliative (C) received a second course of drug six weeks later. Those termed proved palliative (B) continued to receive an intermittent course of fluorouracil. At 4 years postrandomization, life table survival in group A, "currative resection," is 56% in treated patients and 50% in controls. Survival at 18 months in group B is 30% in treated vs 16% in controls, and group C, 57% in treated vs 31% in controls. While these results are encouraging, sufficient numbers of patients have not been followed up for a long enough period to justify valid evidence of drug benefit.

Author Affiliations
Washington, DC; Boston; Martinez, Calif; Washington, DC

From the Veterans Administration Surgical Adjuvant Group, Veterans Administration Hospital, Washington, DC.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Dec 15, 1970.

Read before the 78th annual meeting of the Western Surgical Association, Colorado Springs, Colo, Nov 19, 1970.

Reprint requests to 50 Irving St NW, Washington, DC 20422 (Dr. Higgins).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

The Effects of Perioperative Fluorouracil Administration on Convalescence and Wound Healing
Klausner et al.
Arch Surg 1986;121:239-242.
ABSTRACT  

Multimodal Primary Cancer Treatment (Adjuvant Chemotherapy): Current Results and Future Prospects
WEISS and DeVITA
ANN INTERN MED 1979;91:251-260.
ABSTRACT  

Early Detection and Prevention of Colon Cancer: The Role of Colonoscopy
Skibba et al.
Arch Intern Med 1976;136:890-892.
ABSTRACT  

Chemoprophylaxis for Patients With Colorectal Cancer: Prospective Study With Five-Year Follow-Up
Li and Ross
JAMA 1976;235:2825-2828.
ABSTRACT  

Progress in the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer
Mavligit and Freireich
JAMA 1976;235:2855-2855.
ABSTRACT