Related pages Drug Information Summaries 1 Approval Process for New Cancer Treatments 2 Access to Investigational Drugs: Q & A 3

This page contains brief information about oxaliplatin and a collection of links to more information from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

US Brand Name(s):		Eloxatin
FDA Approved:		Yes

Oxaliplatin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used together with other drugs as adjuvant treatment for stage III colon cancer in patients who have had surgery to remove the cancer. It is also approved to be used with other drugs to treat colorectal cancer that has advanced or recurred after earlier chemotherapy.

Oxaliplatin is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.

Questions and Answers about Oxaliplatin ⁴ - Questions and answers about this drug that may include the following:

• what disease this drug is used for and information about the disease,
• how this drug works and how it is used,
• possible side effects and drug interactions, and
• where to get more information about this drug.

Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This FDA question and answer sheet applies only to approved uses of the medicine. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.

FDA Approval for Oxaliplatin ⁵ - Information from the FDA about the approval of this drug and the clinical trials that led to the approval.

Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary ⁶ - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.

Clinical Trial Results: Oxaliplatin and Nasopharyngeal Cancer (11/02/2005) ⁷ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Oxaliplatin Combination Treatment Effective in Colorectal Cancer That Has Progressed (06/01/2003) ⁸ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Oxaliplatin Prolongs Survival After Colorectal Cancer Surgery (06/01/2003) ⁹ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Bevacizumab Combined With Oxaliplatin Prolongs Survival in Colorectal Cancer (11/29/2004) ¹⁰ - Information from the NCI Press Office about this drug.

MedlinePlus Information on Oxaliplatin ¹¹ - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:

• warnings about this drug,
• what this drug is used for and how it is used,
• what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
• what you should know about this drug before using it,
• other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
• possible side effects.

Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This NLM patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.

Clinical Trials for Oxaliplatin ¹² - Check for trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry now accepting patients.

Glossary Terms

Treatment given after the primary treatment to increase the chances of a cure. Adjuvant therapy may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or biological therapy.

Cancer that has spread to other places in the body and usually cannot be cured or controlled with treatment.

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.

Cancer that develops in the colon (the longest part of the large intestine) and/or the rectum (the last several inches of the large intestine before the anus).

An agency in the U.S. federal government whose mission is to protect public health by making sure that food, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements are safe to use and truthfully labeled. The Food and Drug Administration also makes sure that drugs, medical devices, and equipment are safe and effective, and that blood for transfusions and transplant tissue are safe. Also called FDA.

Cancer that has recurred (come back), usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. The cancer may come back to the same place as the original (primary) tumor or to another place in the body. Also called recurrence.

Tumor cells have spread to organs and lymph nodes near the colon/rectum. Also called Dukes C colorectal cancer.

A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.