[Chemotherapy of patients with colorectal carcinoma]

Colorectal cancer is a frequently occurring malignancy in the western world. In the Netherlands, there are more than 9000 new patients annually. Approximately half of the patients die of their disease within 5 years. In 2004, several therapeutic studies were presented, the results of which may have a positive impact on the prognosis of a large proportion of patients. This concerns the adjuvant treatment of stage II and III colon carcinoma and the palliative systemic treatment of distant metastases of colorectal carcinoma. In stage II colon carcinoma, the absolute benefit of adjuvant treatment is 3-4%. This must be balanced against the burden of such treatment. Adjuvant treatment with fluorouracil-folinic acid-oxaliplatin is indicated in stage III colon carcinoma and should be considered for patients with stage II colon cancer in whom the prognosis is unfavourable. For patients for whom treatment with fluorouracil-folinic acid-oxaliplatin does not seem suitable, adjuvant treatment with capecitabine is indicated. Treatment with bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor, in combination with chemotherapy is considered to be standard practice in first-line treatment. Together with the expected rise in the incidence of colorectal cancer, these developments will have a significant impact on healthcare, both in terms of organization and budget.