capecitabine + oxaliplatin + leucovorin + irinotecan + fluorouracil

This drug is a combination chemotherapy regimen consisting of five agents: capecitabine, oxaliplatin, leucovorin (folinic acid), irinotecan, and fluorouracil. It is primarily used in the treatment of advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. Each component has a distinct mechanism of action: - Capecitabine is an oral prodrug that is converted to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in tumor tissue. - Oxaliplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapeutic that causes DNA crosslinking and apoptosis. - Leucovorin enhances the binding of 5-FU to its target enzyme thymidylate synthase. - Irinotecan inhibits topoisomerase I, leading to DNA damage during replication. - Fluorouracil inhibits thymidylate synthase and incorporates into RNA and DNA, disrupting their function. The regimen aims for synergistic antitumor activity by targeting multiple pathways involved in cancer cell proliferation and survival. It may be administered as first-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer or in other settings where aggressive multi-agent chemotherapy is indicated.

Other names

FOLFOXIRIFOLFIRINOX (when used with or without capecitabine; however, the exact combination as listed is most commonly referred to as FOLFOXIRI)