mFOLFOXIRI Plus PD-1 Inhibitor vs mFOLFOX6 as Neoadjuvant Therapy for Locally Advanced Colon Cancer
OPTICAL-3
Chinese Modified FOLFOXIRI Combined With PD-1 Inhibitor Versus mFOLFOX6 as Neoadjuvant Therapy for Locally Advanced Colon Cancer (cT4/N2): A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled, Phase II Trial
2 other identifiers
interventional
138
0 countries
N/A
Brief Summary
In patients with high-risk stage II and stage III colon cancer, curative surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX or CAPOX regimens has become the standard treatment. However, 20 to 30% of these patients will develop distant metastasis, which ultimately results in death. In contrast to rectal cancer, the role of preoperative therapy in colon cancer is less well established. Relatively few phase III trials of preoperative therapy have been reported, although current NCCN guidelines do recommend neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX or CAPOX regimen as an option for bulky T4b tumors. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an attractive approach for several reasons. The ability to deliver systemic therapies earlier in the treatment course to eradicate micrometastatic disease is conceptually appealing. In addition, surgery can stimulate tumor proliferation through inflammation and other immune pathways. Preoperative delivery of chemotherapy may also lead to higher rates of R0 resections, and chemotherapy tolerance can be better in the neoadjuvant setting, especially in colorectal surgeries that require prolonged recovery. In the phase III study of the FOxTROT trial, the pCR rate for 6 weeks of neoadjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy was only 4%, and a moderate or greater tumor regression was reported in 21% of patients in the NAC group. Our team also conducted the phase III OPTICAL trial, which utilized a longer period of NAC (12 weeks) with FOLFOX or CAPOX. In this trial, the pCR rate for the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group was 7%, and the downstaging rate (ypT0-2N0) was 20%. However, for patients with locally advanced colon cancer, particularly those with T4b and bulky nodal disease, the use of oxaliplatin- and fluoropyrimidine-based doublet chemotherapy does not adequately meet the clinical need for tumor shrinkage and downstaging. There is an urgent need to explore drugs with different mechanisms of action in combination with chemotherapy to improve efficacy.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for phase_2
Started Oct 2026
Longer than P75 for phase_2
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
March 17, 2025
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
March 24, 2025
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
October 1, 2026
ExpectedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
October 1, 2029
Study Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
October 1, 2031
May 22, 2026
May 1, 2026
3 years
March 17, 2025
May 20, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Pathologic complete response rate
The percentage of subjects with no residual viable tumor in the resected primary tumor specimen and all sampled regional lymph nodes after radical surgery (ypT0N0).
1 year
Secondary Outcomes (4)
R0 resection rate
1 year
Event-free survival (EFS)
3 years
Disease-free survival (DFS)
3 years
Overall survival (OS)
5 years
Study Arms (2)
cmFOLFOXIRI plus PD-1 inhibitor
EXPERIMENTALcmFOLFOXIRI: oxaliplatin 85 mg/m² , irinotecan 150 mg/m², folinic acid 400 mg/m², 5-FU 2400 mg/m² continuous 46h infusion, repeat once every 2 weeks. PD-1 inhibitor 200mg, repeat once every 2 weeks. For 4 cycles before surgery.
mFOLFOX6
ACTIVE COMPARATORmFOLFOX6: oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2, leucovorin 400 mg/m2, 5-FU 400 mg/m2 IV bolus, followed by 2400 mg/m2 continuous IV infusion over 46 hours, repeat once every 2 weeks. For 4 cycles before surgery.
Interventions
mFOLFOX6: oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2, leucovorin 400 mg/m2, 5-FU 400 mg/m2 IV bolus, followed by 2400 mg/m2 continuous IV infusion over 46 hours, repeat once every 2 weeks.
cmFOLFOXIRI: oxaliplatin 85 mg/m² , irinotecan 150 mg/m², folinic acid 400 mg/m², 5-FU 2400 mg/m² continuous 46h infusion, repeat once every 2 weeks. PD-1 inhibitor 200mg, repeat once every 2 weeks.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
- Histological or cytological documentation of adenocarcinoma of the colon (≥ 12 cm from the anal verge).
- Determined preoperatively by either spiral or multidetector CT: T4 or N2.
- Male or female subjects \> 18 years \< 70 of age.
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1.
- CT or MRI scans (done within 30 days of registration) of the chest, abdomen and pelvis all without clear evidence of distant metastatic (M1) disease.
- No clinically significant obstruction, perforation, or bleeding related to the primary tumor.
- No previous any systemic anticancer therapy for colon cancer disease.
- Adequate bone marrow, hepatic and renal function as assessed by the following laboratory requirements conducted within 7 days of starting study treatment
You may not qualify if:
- Previous or concurrent cancer that is distinct in primary site or histology from colon cancer within 5 years prior to randomization.
- Significant cardiovascular disease including unstable angina or myocardial infarction within 6 months before initiating study treatment.
- Heart failure grade III/IV (NYHA-classification).
- Unresolved toxicity higher than CTCAE v.5.0 Grade 1 attributed to any prior therapy/procedure.
- Subjects with known allergy to the study drugs or to any of its excipients.
- Current or recent (within 4 weeks prior to starting study treatment) treatment of another investigational drug or participation in another investigational study.
- Breast- feeding or pregnant women
- Lack of effective contraception.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 2
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
March 17, 2025
First Posted
March 24, 2025
Study Start (Estimated)
October 1, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
October 1, 2029
Study Completion (Estimated)
October 1, 2031
Last Updated
May 22, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-05
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share