oxaliplatin + fluorouracil + leucovorin

This is a combination chemotherapy regimen consisting of three drugs: oxaliplatin, fluorouracil (5-FU), and leucovorin (folinic acid). It is most commonly known as FOLFOX. The regimen is primarily used for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer and as adjuvant therapy for stage III colon cancer after surgical resection[1][2][3][4][5][6]. Each component has a distinct mechanism: - **Oxaliplatin** is a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent that forms DNA crosslinks, inhibiting DNA replication and transcription, leading to cell death. - **Fluorouracil** (5-FU) is an antimetabolite that inhibits thymidylate synthase, disrupting DNA synthesis in rapidly dividing cells. - **Leucovorin** enhances the binding of 5-FU to thymidylate synthase, increasing its cytotoxic effect. The combination exploits different mechanisms to maximize anti-tumor activity. FOLFOX regimens are administered intravenously in cycles every two weeks. This combination improves disease-free survival compared to regimens without oxaliplatin[4]. It may also be used in other cancers such as advanced pancreatic cancer after gemcitabine failure[7].

Brand names

Eloxatin (for oxaliplatin)

Other names

folinic acid, fluorouracil and oxaliplatinOxMdGOxaliplatin de Gramont