Background: The XELIRI regimen and FOLFIRI regimen are used as the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. A comparison of findings from different studies that examined the efficacy and safety of these 2 regimens often show conflicting results. This metaanalysis compared the XELIRI and FOLFIRI regimens in the treatment of mCRC.
Patients and methods: Six studies comparing the safety and efficacy of XELIRI- and FOLFIRI-based treatment of mCRC were identified from MEDLINE, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar (until January 31, 2013) databases.
Results: No significant difference in ORR, PFS, or OS between XELIRI and FOLFIRI as first-line therapy in patients with colorectal cancer was found in this analysis. Except for XELIRI being associated with a higher incidence of diarrhea, both treatment regimens had similar safety profiles.
Conclusion: Both XELIRI and FOLFIRI regimens had similar efficacy as first-line treatment in patients with mCRC with similar adverse event profiles. Our findings suggest that XELIRI and FOLFIRI are appropriate first-line treatment options for mCRC patients.
Keywords: Antineoplastic protocols; Colorectal neoplasms; Combination drug therapy; Neoplasm metastasis; Randomized controlled trial.
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