title: Consensus recommendations for the use of anti-egfr therapies in metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: In January 2010, a panel of Canadian oncologists with particular expertise in colorectal cancer (crc) gathered to develop a consensus guideline on the use of therapies against the epidermal growth factor receptor (egfr) in the management of metastatic crc (mcrc). This paper uses a case-based approach to summarize the consensus recommendations developed during that meeting.These are the consensus recommendations:Testing for the KRAS status of the tumour should be performed as soon as an egfr inhibitor is being considered as an option for treatment.Anti-egfr therapies are not recommended for the treatment of patients with tumours showing mutated KRAS status.For a patient with wild-type KRAS and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status of 0-2, whose mcrc has previously been treated with a fluoropyrimidine, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin, switching to an egfr inhibitor is a recommended strategy.Cetuximab, cetuximab plus irinotecan, and panitumumab are all options for third-line therapy in patients with wild-type KRAS, provided that tolerability is acceptable.
authors.affiliation: The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cripps
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colwell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dowden
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kennecke
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maroun
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Samson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thirlwell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wong