Effect of oxaliplatin combined with 5-fluorouracil on treatment efficacy of radiotherapy in the treatment of elderly patients with rectal cancer

Efficacy of the combination of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and radiotherapy on rectal cancer in elderly patients was investigated. Seventy-three elderly patients with rectal cancer confirmed by histopathological examination were randomly divided into 3 groups: oxaliplatin group (25 cases): intravenous infusion of oxaliplatin; fluorouracil group (24 cases): intravenous infusion of fluorouracil; combination group (24 cases), intravenous infusion of oxaliplatin and fluorouracil. All patients were treated with radiotherapy, and efficacy and safety were evaluated after 2 courses of treatment. MTT assay was used to observe the inhibitory effects of the proliferation of human rectal cancer cells. Cell proliferation and sensitization ratios were compared. After 2 courses of treatment, there was no difference in complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR), stable disease (SD), progression disease (PD) and disease control rate (DCR). Remission rate (RR) was higher in the combination group than that in the oxaliplatin and the fluorouracil groups (P<0.05), and there was no difference between the oxaliplatin and the fuorouracil group (P>0.05). Incidence of neutropenia in the combination group was higher than that in the fluorouracil group (P<0.05). OD values of the combination group were lower than those of the oxaliplatin and the fluorouracil groups (P<0.05). Proliferation ability of SW837 cells of the combination group was significantly lower than that of the oxaliplatin and the fluorouracil groups (P<0.05). Intragroup comparison of sensitization ratio showed that sensitization ratios of three groups of cells at 24, 48 and 72 h were all higher than those at 12 h (P<0.05). The combination of oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil is safe and effective in the treatment of rectal cancer in elderly patients, and it can be used for sensitization of radiotherapy. So it should be popularized in clinical practices.