Cetuximab and chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with initially “nonresectable” colorectal (CRC) liver metastases: Long-term follow-up of the CELIM trial.

3538 Background: CRC liver metastases can be resected after downsizing with intensive chemotherapy schedules, with a strong correlation between the response and resection rates. Cetuximab plus chemotherapy has been shown to increase the rates of tumor response and resection of liver metastases. (Van Cutsem et al, JCO 2011). Methods: Patients (pts) with technically non-resectable and/or with > 4 liver metastases were randomized to treatment with FOLFOX/cetuximab (arm A) or FOLFIRI/cetuximab (arm B) and evaluated regarding resectability every 2 months. Resection was offered to all patients who became resectable during the study. K-ras and b-raf status were retrospectively evaluated. Data on tumor response and resection were reported earlier (Folprecht et al, Lancet Oncol 2010). Overall and progression free survival were analyzed in December 2012. Results: Between Dec 2004 and March 2008, 56 pts were randomized to arm A, 55 to arm B. For the current analysis, 109 pts were evaluable for overall survival (OS),...