[Chemotherapy in solid tumors of the gastrointestinal tract?]

Chemotherapy in disseminated stages of gastro-intestinal tumor only causes remission rates of 20 to 40% in a reproducible manner. Treatment is clearly palliative and does not influence median time of survival in these patients. In limited stages of esophageal or gastric cancer remission rates above 50% are achieved. However there is no evidence that chemotherapy in addition to surgery improves treatment results. Based on prospectively randomized studies, for stage-III colon carcinoma adjuvant chemotherapy using Fluorouracil and Levamisole is recommended. In resected carcinoma of rectum the adjuvant combination of chemotherapy and radiation improves local control of the tumor as well as survival of the patients. This modality of treatment is recommended.