mFOLFIRINOX versus mFOLFOX as additional treatment for high-risk stage III colon cancer

mFOLFIRINOX Versus mFOLFOX 6 as Adjuvant Treatment for High Risk Stage III (pT4N1/2 or pTanyN2) Colon Cancer: Multicenter, Open Labeled, Randomized, Phase II Study

Phase2; Phase3 Interventional Chungnam National University Hospital · NCT05179889

This trial will test whether giving mFOLFIRINOX instead of mFOLFOX after surgery helps people with high-risk stage III colon cancer (pT4N1/2 or any pT with N2) stay cancer-free longer.

Quick facts

PhasePhase2; Phase3
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment308 (estimated)
Ages20 Years to 75 Years
SexAll
SponsorChungnam National University Hospital Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy
Locations1 site (Daejeon)
Trial IDNCT05179889 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a multicenter, open-label, randomized phase II/III trial that assigns patients 1:1 to receive either mFOLFIRINOX or mFOLFOX6 after curative (R0) resection. Eligible patients must have high-risk stage III colon adenocarcinoma (pT4N1 or pTanyN2) and meet age, performance status, and organ function requirements. Treatment begins within 60 days after surgery and patients are followed for outcomes such as recurrence and survival while monitored for toxicity. The trial compares a more intensive chemotherapy combination (mFOLFIRINOX) against the current mFOLFOX6 backbone to see if intensification reduces relapse in this higher-risk group.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 20–75 with pathologically confirmed high-risk stage III colon cancer (pT4N1 or pTanyN2) who had an R0 resection within 60 days, meet ECOG and organ function criteria, and can give informed consent.

Not a fit: Patients with distant metastases, rectal cancer requiring radiotherapy, major postoperative complications, poor organ function, or an ECOG performance status beyond the allowed limits are unlikely to benefit from or be eligible for this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the intensified mFOLFIRINOX regimen could lower recurrence rates and improve disease-free survival for patients with high-risk stage III colon cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Intensified chemotherapy regimens have been explored in other settings but using FOLFIRINOX-like combinations as adjuvant therapy for high-risk stage III colon cancer is relatively novel with limited prior data and a known trade-off between potential benefit and increased toxicity.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age of 20-70 years with an ECOG ≤ 2
2. Age of 71-75 years with an ECOG = 0
3. Pathologically confirmed high-risk stage III colon adenocarcinoma (pT4N1 or pTanyN2)
4. Curative radical resection (successful R0 resection) within 60 days before randomization
5. Adequate organ functions

   * ANC ≥ 2×106 cells/mL
   * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
   * Platelets ≥ 100×106 cells/mL
   * Alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase ≤2.5 × times the upper limit of normal (ULN)
   * Serum total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 ULN
   * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 × ULN
   * Serum creatinine ≤1.5 × ULN or creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min (Cockcroft-Gault formula)
6. Able to understand and willing to sign and date written voluntary informed consent form
7. Life expectancy ≥ 5 years

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Distant metastasis
2. Middle or lower rectal cancer of need for radiotherapy
3. Postoperative complication of 3 or more grades of Clavien-Dindo classification
4. Underlying disease or postoperative condition which is contraindication for chemotherapy
5. Known hypersensitivity reaction to any study treatment component
6. Familial adenomatosis polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer
7. Inflammatory bowel disease
8. Previous other malignancy which cannot be curatively treated
9. Pregnancy or breast feeding
10. Any other situation would exclude the patient from study based on the investigator's opinion

Where this trial is running

Daejeon

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Colon Cancer Stage IIIHigh risk stage III colon cancer
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.