For patients who meet criteria to be treated with 3 months of CAPEOX based on IDEA study, is it reasonable to use capecitabine alone for 3 months and drop oxaliplatin during the COVID pandemic?

Topics: Gastrointestinal Cancers • Medical Oncology • Colorectal Cancer • COVID-19

Given that majority of benefit is derived from the capecitabine, would this be an acceptable option to decrease patient contact with the healthcare system? Would you increase duration to 6 months if using the single agent?

Answer from: Medical Oncologist at Academic Institution

This is indeed a question for our times. There are no data to support three months of capecitabine. In fact, the studies that suggest the single agent fluoropyrimidine carries more of the benefit than oxaliplatin are all based on six-month trials. While single agent capecitabine may be necess...

Comments

Medical Oncologist at Dartmouth Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
In terms of evidence-based medicine, this answer f...

Related Questions