title: Molecularly targeted drugs for metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: The survival rate of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has significantly improved with applications of molecularly targeted drugs, such as bevacizumab, and led to a substantial improvement in the overall survival rate. These drugs are capable of specifically targeting the inherent abnormal pathways in cancer cells, which are potentially less toxic than traditional nonselective chemotherapeutics. In this review, the recent clinical information about molecularly targeted therapy for mCRC is summarized, with specific focus on several of the US Food and Drug Administration-approved molecularly targeted drugs for the treatment of mCRC in the clinic. Progression-free and overall survival in patients with mCRC was improved greatly by the addition of bevacizumab and/or cetuximab to standard chemotherapy, in either first- or second-line treatment. Aflibercept has been used in combination with folinic acid (leucovorin)-fluorouracil-irinotecan (FOLFIRI) chemotherapy in mCRC patients and among patients with mCRC with wild-type KRAS, the outcomes were significantly improved by panitumumab in combination with folinic acid (leucovorin)-fluorouracil-oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) or FOLFIRI. Because of the new preliminary studies, it has been recommended that regorafenib be used with FOLFOX or FOLFIRI as first- or second-line treatment of mCRC chemotherapy. In summary, an era of new opportunities has been opened for treatment of mCRC and/or other malignancies, resulting from the discovery of new selective targeting drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying-dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Guo-qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi-cao
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D017277:Drug Approval; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: aflibercept; antiangiogenic drug; bevacizumab; cetuximab; clinical trial; metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC); molecularly targeted therapy; panitumumab; regorafenib