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CompletedNCT00002551Updated Apr 5, 2013

SWOG-9304 Chemotherapy Plus Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Rectal Cancer That Has Been Surgically Removed

A Phase 3 interventional study of fluorouracil and leucovorin calcium in Colorectal Cancer, sponsored by SWOG Cancer Research Network. Completed at 37 sites in 3 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-04-05.

Sponsored by SWOG Cancer Research Network · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
1,917
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. It is not yet known which treatment regimen is more effective for rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of different regimens of combination chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating patients who have rectal cancer that has been surgically removed.

Read the detailed description

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the overall and relapse free survival of patients with stage II or III rectal cancer treated with one of the following three regimens: bolus injections of fluorouracil (5-FU) prior to and following pelvic irradiation plus protracted venous infusion (PVI) 5-FU radiosensitization vs PVI 5-FU prior to and following pelvic irradiation plus PVI 5-FU radiosensitization vs bolus 5-FU with leucovorin calcium and levamisole prior to and following pelvic irradiation. II. Describe relapse patterns and tolerance associated with these regimens in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to type of prior surgery (abdominoperineal resection vs anterior resection), nodal status (N0 vs N1 vs N2-3), depth of tumor invasion (T1-2 vs T3 vs T4a vs T4b), time from surgery to study entry (20-45 days vs 46-70 days), participating center, and performance status (0-1 vs 2). Patients are randomized to one of three treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive fluorouracil (5-FU) IV on days 1-5 and 29-33. 5-FU is then given as a continuous infusion beginning on day 57 and continuing concurrently with radiotherapy for 5 weeks. Following a 28 day break from treatment patients receive 5-FU IV on days 1-5 of a 28 day course. Postradiotherapy treatment repeats for a total of 2 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Arm II: Patients receive 5-FU IV continuously on days 1-42. 5-FU and radiotherapy are then administered as in arm II. Arm III: Patients receive leucovorin calcium (CF) IV followed by 5-FU IV on days 1-5 and 29-33. Patients also receive oral levamisole twice daily on days 1-3, 15-17, 29-31, and 43-45. CF IV and 5-FU IV are then given on days 57-60 and 85-88 concurrently with radiotherapy. Following a 28 day break from treatment patients receive CF IV and 5-FU IV on days 1-5 and 29-33 and oral levamisole twice daily on days 1-3, 15-17, 29-31, and 43-45 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. All patients receive radiotherapy 5 days per week for 5 weeks starting on day 57. Patients are followed every 4 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 4 years, and then annually until death.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 1,800 patients (600 per arm) will be accrued for this study.

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Conditions studied

  • Colorectal Cancer

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Keywords

  • stage II rectal cancer
  • stage III rectal cancer
  • adenocarcinoma of the rectum
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In context

Rectal Neoplasms

1,762 studies on the registry are indexed under Rectal Neoplasms; 518 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 1,917 is above the median of 65 across 1,298 interventional studies indexed under Rectal Neoplasms.

Browse Rectal Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

SWOG Cancer Research Network is the lead sponsor of 328 studies on the registry; 37 are open to participants now.

Of its 17 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 17 (100%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven stage II or III adenocarcinoma of the rectum Tumor extends through the bowel wall and into perirectal fat or soft tissue (TNM T3-4, N0, M0) Nodes are involved with tumor (TNM T1-4, N1-3, M0) Tumor completely resected en bloc with no gross or microscopic evidence of residual disease Circumferential (radial) margins of resected adherent tumors must be specifically documented free of disease (with the sole exception of extraperitoneal serosal margins) No evidence of metastasis No regional nodal metastases (metastases outside of the pelvis) that cannot be resected en bloc with the primary lesion No distant peritoneal metastases (metastases that are not a direct extension from the primary tumor) even if grossly resected (direct extension into another structure permitted) Abdominopelvic CT required unless: Bilirubin, SGOT, and alkaline phosphatase are within normal limits, AND Operative report describes liver as normal on exploration No tumors of colonic origin, i.e.: Lower edge of the tumor is below the peritoneal reflection or a portion of the tumor is retroperitoneally located (usually posteriorly) as defined by the surgeon at laparotomy OR Lower margin of the tumor is 12 cm or less from the anal verge by proctoscopic exam No prior history of rectal cancer No stage II or III cancers of the extrapelvic colon within the past 5 years Complete surgical resection at least 5 years prior to protocol registration allowed provided no other therapy was administered Synchronous modified stage I or IIa colorectal cancer (no nodal involvement or penetration through the muscularis propria) that has been completely resected allowed Registration between 20 and 70 days after the definitive surgical procedure required Chemotherapy must begin no later than day 70 following surgery Concurrent registration on protocol SWOG-9419 allowed for patients with adequate tissue samples

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 18 Performance status: SWOG 0-2 Hematopoietic: WBC at least 4,000/mm3 Platelet count normal Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) SGOT no greater than 2 times ULN Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN Renal: Not specified Other: No chronic ulcerative colitis No other serious medical illness that would preclude protocol therapy No psychiatric condition that would preclude informed consent No noncolorectal malignancy within 5 years except: Adequately treated nonmelanomatous skin cancer Adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior immunotherapy Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Other: No other concurrent antineoplastic therapy

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
1,917 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Bolus 5-FU, Pelvic XRT + PVI 5-FU, Bolus 5-FU

    Bolus 5-FU (fluorouracil) (500mg/m2/day on days 1-5, 29-33), Pelvic XRT + PVI 5-FU, Bolus 5-FU (450mg/m2/day for 5 days beginning 28 days after RT, for 2 cycles on days 1-5 of a 28 days cycle).

    Drug: fluorouracil · Radiation: radiation therapy

  • Experimental
    PVI 5-FU+Pelvic XRT+PVI 5-FU+PVI 5-FU

    5-FU (fluorouracil) 300mg/m2/day for 42 days followed by 2 week interruption, Day 57 through XRT will receive 225mg/m2/day of 5-FU followed by 1 month interruption, 4 weeks after completion of XRT 1 8wk cycle of 5-FU 300mg/m2/day.

    Drug: fluorouracil · Radiation: radiation therapy

  • Experimental
    Bol 5-FU+LV+LEV+Pel XRT+Bol 5-FU+LV Bol 5-FU + LV + LEV

    5-FU (fluorouracil) 425/mg/m2/day Days 1-5,29-33; LV (leucovorin calcium) 20mg/m2/day Days 1-5,29-33; LEV (levamisole hydrochloride) 150mg/day (50mg TID) for 3 days every 14 days starting after each course of 5-FU. During RT: 5-FU and LV 4 days on wk 1 and wk 5 of RT. LV 20 mg/m2/day IV bolus within 2hrs after completion of that day's radiation therapy, for four days in each cycle. Followed immediately by 5- FU 400 mg/m2/day IV bolus. Treatment will be given on days 57 - 60 and 85 - 88.Treatment post-RT-chemotherapy 28 days after completion of RT consist of 5 days of chemotherapy in 28 day cycles. 5-FU, 380 mg/m2/day on days 1 - 5 and LV given at a dose of 20 mg/m2/day on days 1 - 5 with the 5-FU given immediately after the LV. For 2 post-radiation cycles on days 1 - 5 of a 28 day cycle. Levamisole will be given orally at a dose of 150 mg/day (50 mg tid) for 3 days every 14 days during the 1st 3 days of each cycle of 5-FU, and again 14 days after starting each course of 5-FU.

    Drug: fluorouracil · Drug: leucovorin calcium · Drug: levamisole hydrochloride · Radiation: radiation therapy

Interventions

  • Drugfluorouracil

    See arm assignments.

    Also known as: 5-FU

  • Drugleucovorin calcium

    See arm assignments.

    Also known as: leucovorin, LV

  • Druglevamisole hydrochloride

    See arm assignments.

    Also known as: LEV

  • Radiationradiation therapy

    See arm assignments.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Survival and Relapse-free survival

    Time frame: Until death

07

Study locations

37 sites
  • CCOP - Scottsdale Oncology Program
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85259-5404, United States
  • CCOP - Colorado Cancer Research Program, Inc.
    Denver, Colorado 80209-5031, United States
  • H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
    Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
  • Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University
    Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Chicago (Lakeside)
    Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
  • CCOP - Evanston
    Evanston, Illinois 60201, United States
  • CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association
    Peoria, Illinois 61602, United States
  • CCOP - Carle Cancer Center
    Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
  • CCOP - Cedar Rapids Oncology Project
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403-1206, United States
  • CCOP - Iowa Oncology Research Association
    Des Moines, Iowa 50309-1016, United States
  • Siouxland Hematology-Oncology
    Sioux City, Iowa 51101-1733, United States
  • CCOP - Ochsner
    New Orleans, Louisiana 70121, United States
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
    Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
    Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
  • CCOP - Ann Arbor Regional
    Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106, United States
  • CCOP - Kalamazoo
    Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007-3731, United States
  • CCOP - Duluth
    Duluth, Minnesota 55805, United States
  • University of Minnesota Cancer Center
    Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
  • CCOP - Metro-Minnesota
    Saint Louis Park, Minnesota 55416, United States
  • CCOP - Missouri Valley Cancer Consortium
    Omaha, Nebraska 68131, United States
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center - East Orange
    East Orange, New Jersey 07018-1095, United States
  • CCOP - Northern New Jersey
    Hackensack, New Jersey 07601, United States
  • Albert Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Bronx, New York 10461, United States
  • Quain & Ramstad Clinic, P.C.
    Bismarck, North Dakota 58501, United States
  • CCOP - Merit Care Hospital
    Fargo, North Dakota 58122, United States
  • Altru Health Systems
    Grand Forks, North Dakota 58201, United States
  • Ireland Cancer Center
    Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5065, United States
  • CCOP - Toledo Community Hospital Oncology Program
    Toledo, Ohio 43623-3456, United States
  • CCOP - Geisinger Clinical and Medical Center
    Danville, Pennsylvania 17822-2001, United States
  • Hahnemann University Hospital
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102-1192, United States
  • Rapid City Regional Hospital
    Rapid City, South Dakota 57709, United States
  • CCOP - Sioux Community Cancer Consortium
    Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57105-1080, United States
  • CCOP - Marshfield Medical Research and Education Foundation
    Marshfield, Wisconsin 54449, United States
  • Medical College of Wisconsin
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, United States
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Milwaukee (Zablocki)
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53295, United States
  • Saskatchewan Cancer Agency
    Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 6X3, Canada
  • Pretoria Academic Hospital
    Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Ulrich CM, Rankin C, Holmes RS, et al.: Polymorphisms in folate-metabolizing enzymes and response to 5-fluorouracil among stage II or III rectal cancer patients (SWOG 9304). [Abstract] American Society of Clinical Oncology 2008 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, 25-27 January 2008, Orlando, FL. A-309, 2008.
  • Zhang W, Rankin CJ, Danenberg KD, et al.: An update of pharmacogenetic analysis of adjuvant rectal cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil and pelvic radiation in a phase III intergroup trial (INT-0144, SWOG 9304). [Abstract] J Clin Oncol 26 (Suppl 15): A-4115, 2008.
  • Zhang W, Rankin C, Nagashima F, et al.: Pharmacogenetic analysis of stage II/III rectal cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil and pelvic radiation in a phase III intergroup trial (INT-0144, SWOG 9304). [Abstract] American Society of Clinical Oncology 2008 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, 25-27 January 2008, Orlando, FL. A-300, 2008.
  • Smalley SR, Benedetti JK, Williamson SK, Robertson JM, Estes NC, Maher T, Fisher B, Rich TA, Martenson JA, Kugler JW, Benson AB 3rd, Haller DG, Mayer RJ, Atkins JN, Cripps C, Pedersen J, Periman PO, Tanaka MS Jr, Leichman CG, Macdonald JS. Phase III trial of fluorouracil-based chemotherapy regimens plus radiotherapy in postoperative adjuvant rectal cancer: GI INT 0144. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Aug 1;24(22):3542-7. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2005.04.9544. PubMed 16877719 ↗
  • Smalley SR, Benedetti J, Williamson S, et al.: Intergroup 0144 - phase III trial of 5-FU based chemotherapy regimens plus radiotherapy (XRT) in postoperative adjuvant rectal cancer. Bolus 5-FU vs prolonged venous infusion (PVI) before and after XRT + PVI vs bolus 5-FU + leucovorin (LV) + levamisole (LEV) before and after XRT + bolus 5-FU + LV. [Abstract] Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 22: A-1006, 2003.
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 5, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00002551
Lead sponsor
SWOG Cancer Research Network
Collaborators
National Cancer Institute (NCI), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, North Central Cancer Treatment Group, NCIC Clinical Trials Group, Cancer and Leukemia Group B
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 10, 2004
Start date
Mar 1994
Primary completion
Aug 2006
Completion
Oct 2008
Last update
Apr 5, 2013

Study contacts

Stephen R. Smalley, MD
study chair · University of Kansas
Al B. Benson, MD, FACP
study chair · Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center
Jaffer A. Ajani, MD
study chair · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Michael J. O'Connell, MD
study chair · Mayo Clinic
Anthony LA Fields, MD, FRCPC
study chair · Cross Cancer Institute at University of Alberta
Robert J. Mayer, MD, FACP
study chair · Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2013. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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