Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Colorectal Cancer

Advances have been made in the adjuvant therapy of colorectal cancers. Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy has now been demonstrated to improve long-term disease-free survival rates in patients with resected stage III colon cancer. Combined radiation therapy plus fluorouracil-based chemotherapy has been shown to improve both local control and disease-free survival in patients with stage II and III rectal cancer. In this article we will review in detail the current recommendations for treatment of patients with resected colorectal cancers and the data on which these recommendations are based. We will also review some of the more promising investigational approaches which are being pursued in an attempt to further improve the cure rates in patients with local-regionally advanced colorectal cancers. Results from these investigations can be expected to further clarify the role of both currently available and new treatment strategies, and to improve the long-term outlook for patients with resectable colorectal cancers.