Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33764600›Full record

Observational studyThe oncologist2021

Prospective Observational Study Comparing Calcium and Sodium Levofolinate in Combination with 5-Fluorouracil in the FOLFIRI Regimen.

Alessandro Passardi, Manlio Monti, Caterina Donati, Flavia Foca, Flavia Pagan, Ilario Rapposelli, Silvia Ruscelli, Giulia Bartolini, Martina Valgiusti, Laura Matteucci and 5 more

Open access · bronzeAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in The oncologist, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 42% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Alessandro PassardiDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Manlio MontiDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Caterina DonatiOncology Pharmacy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Flavia FocaUnit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Flavia PaganUnit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Ilario RapposelliDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Silvia RuscelliDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Giulia BartoliniDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Martina ValgiustiDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Laura MatteucciDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Francesco SulloDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Stefania SbaffiOncology Pharmacy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Laura CrudiOncology Pharmacy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Giovanni Luca FrassinetiDepartment of Medical Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Carla MasiniOncology Pharmacy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy.
Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

lessons learnedThe use of sodium levofolinate (Na-Lev) is safe in combination with continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil in patients with gastrointestinal tumors treated with the FOLFIRI regimen. A comparison with calcium levofolinate (Ca-Lev) showed a similar toxicity profile. The advantages of Na-Lev over Ca-Lev might be the faster drug preparation and the shorter time of drug administration.

backgroundThe objectives of this study were to compare the safety profiles of sodium levofolinate (Na-Lev) and calcium levofolinate (Ca-Lev) in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the FOLFIRI regimen and to measure the organizational impact of the introduction of Na-Lev on drug production and administration.

methodsThe study opened in November 2015 and closed in August 2019. Patients with gastrointestinal cancers who were candidates for treatment with the FOLFIRI regimen were included in this nonrandomized study. Age ≥18 years, life expectancy >3 months, adequate bone marrow reserve, adequate hepatic and renal function, and an ECOG performance status of 0-2 were required. Patients in the Ca-Lev arm received a 2-hour infusion of Ca-Lev followed by 5-FU, whereas those in the Na-Lev arm received Na-Lev and 5-FU administered in a single 48-hour pump.

resultsSixty patients were enrolled, 30 in each arm. Patient characteristics were balanced. Grade (G)1-2 adverse events occurred in 18 (60.0%) and 19 (63.4%) patients of Na-Lev and Ca-Lev cohorts, respectively, whereas G3-4 adverse events occurred in 12 (40.0%) and 11 (36.6%) patients, respectively. The use of Na-Lev enabled us to save approximately 13 minutes for drug preparation and 2 hours for treatment administration, per patient per cycle.

conclusionNa-Lev showed a reassuring toxicity profile and a favorable impact on drug preparation and administration.

Indexed as

CalciumColorectal NeoplasmsAdolescentAntineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsCamptothecinFluorouracilHumansLeucovorinSodiumCalciumCamptothecinFluorouracilLeucovorinSodiumCalcium levofolinateFOLFIRISodium levofolinate

Identifiers

PMID33764600
PMCPMC8342582
OpenAlexW3136495854

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.