[Adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer].
BACKGROUND
Radical resection is the main treatment for adenocarcinoma of the colon. Adjuvant chemotherapy may reduce the recurrence rate of the disease. It is therefore important that those who may benefit from such therapy are offered the optimal regimens in due time. The background for adjuvant chemotherapy of colon cancer is presented.


METHODS
The manuscript is based on a survey of randomized clinical trials (from 1990 to 2007) retrieved from PubMed, and on own clinical experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Cure rates after curative resections of colon cancer (stage III) are improved by about 12% if patients are treated with adjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin combined with 5-fluoruracil and folinat (or capecitabine) for 6 months. Certain subgroups of stage II (Dukes' stage B) are also likely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.
Seksjon for onkologi, Institutt for indremedisin, Universitetet i Bergen, 5021 Bergen. olav.dahl@helse-bergen.no.
Olav
O
Dahl
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents