title: First-line chemotherapy for mCRC—a review and evidence-based algorithm.
abstract: The response to first-line therapy is a primary determinant of outcome in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), for three main reasons: effective upfront therapy provides a unique opportunity to cure some patients; can be crucial in delaying disease progression and achieving symptom relief; and can improve patient eligibility for, and the effectiveness of, further treatments. In the past decade, decision-making regarding the choice of first-line therapy for mCRC has been complicated by the availability of many different options without a definitive consensus on a specific standard of care (despite major advances in categorizing predictive molecular disease subtypes). Most of the efforts of the scientific community have been directed at establishing the best biologic agent to be combined with a chemotherapy doublet, although a different branch of research has produced new data that underscore the importance of defining the optimal chemotherapy backbone. Herein, we review the key clinical trials completed in the past 10 years that have investigated and compared the use of chemotherapy doublets, triplets, and monotherapies, with or without molecularly targeted biologic agents, in the first-line treatment of patients with mCRC. Our examination of the literature led us to propose a new patient-oriented algorithm to guide clinicians' decisions on the best choice of upfront therapy for mCRC.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cremolini
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schirripa
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antoniotti
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moretto
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falcone
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Oncology 2, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Pisana, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Fotios
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Loupakis
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis