Progress in the management of chemorefractory colorectal cancer

摘要

A multidisciplinary approach, combining advances in systemic chemotherapy, targeted agents and aided by better surgical and imaging techniques has significantly enhanced the outcome for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) over the last two decades (Fig. I).1 Advancements in the management of un-resectable, mCRC have been characterised by small incremental improvements in overall survival which now extends beyond 2 years with the addition of biological agents to standard fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy regimens. Today, a whole host of newly identified targeted therapeutic agents inhibiting one or more key pathways are being evaluated in phase III clinical trials (including aflibercept and regorafenib)2'3 as potential new treatments for mCRC.