Open AccessEffect of pentoxifylline on colon cancer patients treated with chemotherapy (Part I)
Author(s) -
Amichay Meirovitz,
Lea Baider,
Tamar Peretz,
S Stephanos,
Vivian Barak
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
tumor biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1423-0380
pISSN - 1010-4283
DOI - 10.3233/tub-211533
Subject(s) - medicine , cachexia , chemotherapy , stomatitis , gastroenterology , pentoxifylline , weight loss , anorexia , colorectal cancer , cancer , oxaliplatin , leukopenia , survival rate , obesity
BACKGROUND: Cancer progression is associated with significant systemic clinical manifestations including cachexia induced weight loss and anorexia. Pentoxifylline (PTX) is a drug that has been shown to have multiple beneficial effects in cancer patients through its anti-inflammatory properties. MAIN OBJECTIVE: To evaluate PTX effects on colon cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. PATIENTS and METHODS: Forty metastatic colon cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were enrolled in this randomized study. 17 patients were treated with a full dose of PTX (400 mg TID), 9 patients with a reduced dose PTX (200 mg TID) and 23 served as controls (no PTX). RESULTS: Follow-up evaluations of patients included the following: physical examination; leukopenia determination; weight determination; stomatitis determination; and survival rate. Patients treated with PTX (both full and reduced doses), experienced a significant increase in weight and a reduction in stomatitis relative to the control group. Treatment with PTX also significantly increased patient survival rate. All patients treated with PTX, had a median overall survival (OS) rate of 20.4 months as compared to 13.2 months in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: PTX treatment of colon cancer patients, in addition to chemotherapy, significantly improved survival rates, induced weight gain and reduced stomatitis occurrence –all important parameters of cachexia.