FOLFOX

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FOLFOX is a chemotherapy regimen for treatment of colorectal cancer, made up of the drugs

FOL– Folinic acid (leucovorin)
F – Fluorouracil (5-FU)
OX – Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin)^[1]

[edit] FOLFOX4

Adjuvant treatment in patients with stage III colon cancer is recommended for 12 cycles, every 2 weeks. The recommended dose schedule given every two weeks is as follows:

Day 1: Eloxatin 85 mg/m² IV infusion in 250-500 mL D5W and leucovorin 200 mg/m² IV infusion in D5W both given over 120 minutes at the same time in separate bags using a Y-line, followed by 5-FU 400 mg/m² IV bolus given over 2-4 minutes, followed by 5-FU 600 mg/m² IV infusion in 500 mL D5W (recommended) as a 22-hour continuous infusion.

Day 2: Leucovorin 200 mg/m² IV infusion over 120 minutes, followed by 5-FU 400 mg/m² IV bolus given over 2-4 minutes, followed by 5-FU 600 mg/m² IV infusion in 500 mL D5W (recommended) as a 22-hour continuous infusion.

FOLFOX4 regime^[2]^[3]

FOLFOX4
drug	dose	administration	time	term
Oxaliplatin	85 mg/m²	IV infusion	2 h	day 1
Folinic acid	200 mg/m²	IV infusion	2 h	day 1 + 2
Fluorouracil	400 mg/m²	IV bolus	2 min	day 1 + 2
Fluorouracil	600 mg/m²	IV infusion	22 h	day 1 + 2

Premedication with antiemetics, including 5-HT3 blockers with or without dexamethasone, is recommended.

[edit] References

^ Cancer Research UK, CancerHelp UK
^ de Gramont A, Figer A, Seymour M, Homerin M, Hmissi A, Cassidy J, Boni C, Cortes-Funes H, Cervantes A, Freyer G, Papamichael D, Le Bail N, Louvet C, Hendler D, de Braud F, Wilson C, Morvan F, Bonetti A (2000). "Leucovorin and fluorouracil with or without oxaliplatin as first-line treatment in advanced colorectal cancer". J Clin Oncol 18 (16): 2938–47. PMID 10944126. HTML PDFPatients with advanced colorectal cancer were given 5-fluorouracil and leukovorin. Those who were also given oxaliplatin were more likely to have a response, and had longer progression-free survival, than patients without oxaliplatin. However, patients with oxaliplatin didn't survive any longer than patients without it.
^ FDA Approval: Eloxatin [oxaliplatin] PDF

Goldberg R, Sargent D, Morton R, Fuchs C, Ramanathan R, Williamson S, Findlay B, Pitot H, Alberts S (2004). "A randomized controlled trial of fluorouracil plus leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin combinations in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer". J Clin Oncol 22 (1): 23–30. PMID 14665611.