Exploring the roles of combination and sequential strategies in palliative CRC care

摘要

For over 30 years, the only approved chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) was 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), but the situation has since changed dramatically, beginning with the European approval of irinotecan in 1995 and followed by the approval of oxaliplatin and capecitabine. More recently, the diversity of treatments for mCRC has increased further with the availability of targeted agents, such as bevacizumab and cetuximab. While this broadening of the clinician's armamentarium heralds expectations of better outcomes for patients, it also complicates the decision-making process when considering how to best manage patients with mCRC.