Adjuvant therapy of cancers of the colon and rectum

Important advances have been made in our understanding of the role of adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer. Current standard 5FU-based regimens have been shown to reduce the incidence of recurrences and to prolong overall survival in patients with resected stage III colon cancer. Colon cancer patients with stage II disease have a better overall prognosis than those with stage III; however, the relative merits of adjuvant treatment in these patients remains controversial. Combined chemotherapy plus radiation therapy is currently the standard adjuvant approach for stage II and III rectal cancer patients. Despite advances, far too many patients with resectable colorectal cancer ultimately relapse and die of their disease. There remains a pressing need for continued development of improved adjuvant treatments.