Metastatic colorectal cancer: current state and future directions

Substantial improvements have been made in the management of metastatic colorectal cancer over the last two decades. The overall survival of patients diagnosed with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer has increased from approximately 1 year during the era of fluoropyrimidine monotherapy to more than 30 months with the integration of multiple cytotoxic agents and targeted therapies. More effective therapeutic combinations have increased the rate of curative-intent surgical resections, resulting in median survival in this subgroup that exceed 5 years. Here we review the landscape of systemic therapies for unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer during the current era of targeted therapies, review the effects of RAS and BRAF mutations on clinical decision making, and reflect on future directions for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.