Folfoxiri Plus Bev Followed by Reintroduction of Folfoxiri Plus Bev at Progression Versus Folfox Plus Bev Followed by Folfiri Plus Bev in mCRC

Bev improves the efficacy of first-line chemotherapy in unresectable mCRC. In the phase III TRIBE trial upfront FOLFOXIRI plus bev provided a significant advantage in terms of PFS and RR compared to FOLFIRI plus bev. A trend toward better OS was also evidenced. The second-line treatment was at investigator's choice. A manageable increase in diarrhea, mucositis and neutropenia was reported, while no differences in febrile neutropenia, serious adverse events and toxic deaths were evidenced. A growing amount of data support the clinical relevance of achieving an early and deep tumor shrinkage. Phase III TML and BEBYP trials demonstrated that the continuation of bev beyond disease progression combined with a switched chemotherapy regimen provided a significant advantage in terms of OS and PFS. Based on recent evidences, the partial interruption of the upfront "induction" chemotherapy before disease progression and the prosecution of bev until disease progression as maintenance treatment is a valid strategy in the treatment of mCRC. On the basis of these considerations, a first-line doublet plus bev followed by a second-line switched doublet (from oxaliplatin to irinotecan and viceversa) plus bev should be considered a standard option for mCRC patients. Only retrospectively collected data are currently available about the efficacy of first-line FOLFOXIRI plus bev followed by second-line rechallenge with FOLFOXIRI plus bev. We therefore designed the present phase III randomized trial of first-line FOLFOXIRI plus bev followed by reintroduction of FOLFOXIRI plus bev at progression versus FOLFOX plus bev followed by FOLFIRI plus bev at progression in first- and second-line treatment of unresectable mCRC patients.