Cantharidin Combined with Chemotherapy for Chinese Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Background: This systematic analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cantharidincombined with chemotherapy in treating Chinese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
Methods: Clinicalstudies evaluating the efficacy and safety of cantharidin combined with chemotherapy on response and safetyfor Chinese patients with colorectal cancer were identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled responserate (RR) of treatment were calculated.
Results: When cantharidin combined with chemotherapy, 4 clinicalstudies which included 155 patients with advanced colorectal cancer were considered eligible for inclusion.The systematic analysis suggested that, in all patients, pooled RR was 46.5% (72/155) in cantharidin combinedregimens. Major adverse effects were neutropenia, leukopenia, fatigue, and anemia with cantharidin combinedtreatment; no treatment related deaths occurred.
Conclusion: This systematic analysis suggests that cantharidincombined regimens are associated with high response rate and accepted toxicity in treating Chinese patientswith metastatic colorectal cancer suggesting that randomized clinical trials are now warranted.