Three versus six months of oxaliplatin added to six months of fluoropyrimidine for high-risk stage II or III colorectal cancer

The combination of oxaliplatin and fluoropyrimidine for 6 months is a standard adjuvant therapy option for high-risk stage II or stage III colorectal cancer. A side effect of oxaliplatine is neurotoxicity. The optimal duration of oxaliplatin treatment is not clear. The randomized phase 3 KCSG CO09-07 trial in South Korea found that adding 3 months of oxaliplatin to 6 months of capecitabine resulted in noninferior three-year DFS compared to adding 6 months of oxaliplatin to 6 months of capecitabine for stage III CRC, with lower neuropathy rates. However, among patients with high-risk stage II en stage III CRC treated by infusional fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin, the noninferiority of the 3-months arm compared with the 6-month arm was not proven.