title: Advances in colon cancer chemotheapy: nursing implications.
abstract: Adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer has changed significantly during the past 5 years. The traditional agent fluorouracil has been joined by new drugs, including capecitabine, irinotecan, oxaliplatin, and targeted agents such as bevacizumab and cetuximab. These new agents bring different mechanisms of action, different side effects, and new home care nursing implications. Significant improvements in disease-free remissions and survival rates are among the many benefits of these therapies to persons with colon cancer. This article covers these newer agents, targeted therapies for colon cancer, and associated nursing and patient implications, including detailed drug information.
authors.affiliation: St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, 5000 W. Chambers, Milwaukee, WI 53210, USA. tstrombe@covhealth.org
authors.forename: Teri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vega-Stromberg
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069287:Capecitabine; D000068818:Cetuximab; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000601:surgery; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018718:Home Infusion Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069287:Capecitabine; D000077146:Irinotecan; D000068818:Cetuximab; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin