title: Which drug combination for colorectal cancer?
abstract: In Westernised countries, colorectal cancer (CRC) is second only to lung cancer as a cause of death from malignancy, with only 60% of patients alive at 5 years. In Stage II/III CRC, where the standard treatment is 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin, a recent clinical trial has shown that with the addition of oxaliplatin, fewer patients have relapsed or died at 40 months follow-up. The benefit was more pronounced in patients with Stage III than II CRC, and the addition of oxaliplatin to 5-FU/leucovorin should be considered in Stage III CRC. In metastatic CRC, where the standard treatment is 5-FU/leucovorin/irinotecan, a recent clinical trial has shown that the addition of bevacizumab, a mAb, to vascular endothelial growth factor, prolonged progression-free and overall survival. Bevacizumab is likely to become part of the standard therapy for metastatic CRC.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, QLD 4072, Australia. s_doggrell@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sheila A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Doggrell
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000077146:Irinotecan; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin