Emerging drugs for colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
The past 5 years have shown major advances in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Our understanding of existing drugs, such as oxaliplatin and irinotecan, has become more refined. The incorporation of newer drugs such as bevacizumab and cetuximab has expanded treatment options as well.


OBJECTIVE
Our goals are to review the evidence for currently approved drugs, with particular attention to the most recent studies highlighting the ideal conditions for each. In addition, we discuss current areas of investigation - particularly, specific pathway inhibitors - that are most relevant for colorectal cancer.


METHODS
We have used existing literature as well as abstracts and oral presentations from ASCO and AACR meetings.


CONCLUSIONS
We report current thinking on the use of existing drugs, and present the most promising novel pathway inhibitors that are now being developed for colorectal cancer.
Fogelman
David R
DR
MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 426, Houston, TX 77030, USA. dfogelman@mdanderson.org
Kopetz
Scott
S
Eng
Cathy
C
D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015507:Drugs, Investigational