PRECONNECT was an international, phase IIIb trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Patients with mCRC received FTD/TPI 35 mg/m² twice-daily on days 1–5 and 8–12 of each 28-day cycle for third- or later-line treatment. Primary endpoint: safety and time to deterioration of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status [ECOG PS] to ≥2). Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS). Potential prognostic factors for PFS were explored.

Of 914 patients, 69% completed 0–3, 24% completed 4–7, and 7% completed ≥8 cycles of FTD/TPI. Drug-related grade ≥ 3 adverse events included neutropenia (38.1%), anaemia (7.2%) and asthenia (3.4%). Median [95% CI] time to ECOG PS deterioration was 8.7 [8.1-not calculable] months and increased with duration of treatment (DoT). Median PFS was 2.8 [2.7–3.0] months and increased with duration of treatment DoT. Prognostic factors associated with longer PFS included time since diagnosis of first metastasis, number of metastatic sites, baseline ECOG PS, presence/absence of liver metastasis or previous regorafenib treatment, and laboratory variables.

No new safety concerns for FTD/TPI were identified and PFS increased with DoT. These data provide confidence for the use of FTD/TPI, including the use of multiple cycles, in routine practice.

EudraCT Number: 2016-002311-18; registered 19/09/2016.

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03306394; registered 11/10/2017.