-transparent.png){kind=logo}
Several biochemical and immunological substances are currently being tested for their efficacy in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, the second-most malignant disease in the western world. Presently, a combination of 5-fluorouracil (FU) and the biochemical modulator folinic acid is considered to be the standard treatment for this malignancy, with a median response rate of 30%. A recent multi-analysis of phase III trials with methotrexate and FU versus FU alone has demonstrated a statistically significant doubling of the response rate as well as a significant survival advantage for the combination. So far, other biochemical or immunological modulators of FU have not shown a significant advantage regarding response or survival. Several new drugs such as tegafur, thymidilate synthase inhibitors, trimetrexate, or topoisomerase-I-inhibitors have been tested with promising results in preclinical and early clinical settings. While local treatment such as hepatic artery infusion has become safer, it is still more toxic than systemic treatment and showed a significant improvement of response but no survival advantage. Since all treatment strategies in advanced colorectal cancer are still palliative, quality of life is a more important endpoint in clinical trials.
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
March 1994,
Annals of surgery,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
September 2001,
Head & neck,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
October 2007,
The Lancet. Oncology,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
August 1997,
Clinics in liver disease,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
January 2010,
The oncologist,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
November 2004,
International seminars in surgical oncology : ISSO,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
March 2004,
European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
October 2000,
Seminars in oncology,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
January 1981,
Cancer treatment reports,
R U Hilgenfeld, and
M Streit, and
E Thiel, and
E D Kreuser
October 2014,
Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association,
