FOLFIRI (5-FU, leucovorin, irinotecan)
FOLFIRI is the other backbone bowel-cancer chemotherapy, swapping oxaliplatin for irinotecan. Used first or second line and, since 2026, with the BRAF combination.
Interchangeable with FOLFOX in first-line efficacy (Tournigand 2004); the standard second-line switch. Partner for cetuximab (CRYSTAL, FIRE-3), bevacizumab, aflibercept, ramucirumab, and encorafenib + cetuximab (BREAKWATER cohort 3). UGT1A1*28 homozygotes need irinotecan dose reduction.
1.Irinotecan is converted in the body to SN-38
- Route
- Intravenous
- Schedule
- Irinotecan 180 mg/m² + leucovorin 400 mg/m² day 1, 5-FU 400 mg/m² bolus then 2,400 mg/m² over 46 h, every 14 days
- Dose modifications
- Reduce irinotecan for UGT1A1*28/*28; hold for grade 3 diarrhoea
- Monitoring
- Blood counts; early and late diarrhoea
| Adverse event |
|---|
| Diarrhoea |
| Neutropenia |
| Alopecia |
Early (cholinergic) and late; can be severe. Events listed without rates were not read from a primary source; see the label. Blank cells mean the figure was not sourced, not that it is zero.
Trials
topRecruiting now (live from ClinicalTrials.gov)
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Landmark trials in OnCo
Latest papers
topQuery for this drug: (TITLE:"FOLFIRI" OR ABSTRACT:"FOLFIRI" OR TITLE:"5-FU, leucovorin, irinotecan" OR ABSTRACT:"5-FU, leucovorin, irinotecan") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about FOLFIRI (5-FU, leucovorin, irinotecan), not a curated reading list.
Pages like this
not linked directly; found by shared links- TermSidedness (left vs right colon)
Shares Anti-EGFR antibody + chemotherapy in left-sided RAS/BRAF wild-type mCRC, CRYSTAL & FIRE-3, Colorectal cancer.
- TrialPARADIGM
Shares Anti-EGFR antibody + chemotherapy in left-sided RAS/BRAF wild-type mCRC, FOLFOX (5-FU, leucovorin, oxaliplatin), Colorectal cancer.
- IdeaTest DPYD, UGT1A1 and TPMT/NUDT15 before the first dose, everywhere
Shares Topoisomerase-I inhibitors (and ADC payloads), Cytotoxic chemotherapy, Colorectal cancer.
- PersonVolker Heinemann
Shares CRYSTAL & FIRE-3, Colorectal cancer.
- ProductCetuximab
Shares Anti-EGFR antibody + chemotherapy in left-sided RAS/BRAF wild-type mCRC, CRYSTAL & FIRE-3, BREAKWATER, Colorectal cancer.
- ProductCAPOX (capecitabine, oxaliplatin)
Shares FOLFOX (5-FU, leucovorin, oxaliplatin), Cytotoxic chemotherapy, Colorectal cancer.
- ProductFOLFIRINOX / mFOLFIRINOX
Shares FOLFOX (5-FU, leucovorin, oxaliplatin), Topoisomerase-I inhibitors (and ADC payloads), Cytotoxic chemotherapy.
- ProductPegylated liposomal doxorubicin
Shares Topoisomerase-I inhibitors (and ADC payloads), Cytotoxic chemotherapy.