The Impact of Combining Cetuximab With the Traditional Chemotherapy Regimens on Clinical Effectiveness in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the impact of combining cetuximab with chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

METHODS: Database searching was performed based on the benchmarks indicated by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Progression-free survival was the main outcome of the study. All the statistical analysis was performed using Stata version 16.

RESULTS: The meta-analysis encompassed 25 studies involving 3788 patients, with a median age spanning 18 to 77 years. The median progression-free survival (mPFS) ranged from 3.0-15.7 months. The cetuximab plus chemotherapy group exhibited a higher PFS (HR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.63–0.96, p < 0.01, I² = 38%) compared to the chemotherapy alone group. However, subgroup analysis, based on randomized controlled trials, demonstrated consistent treatment effects for both PFS (HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.62-0.93).

CONCLUSIONS: Cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy demonstrates promising efficacy and survival benefits for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients, as evidenced by this meta-analysis. These findings underscore its potential as a valuable addition to mCRC treatment protocols, warranting further exploration and integration into clinical practice.