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New Chemotherapeutic Strategies in Colorectal Cancer

  • Conference paper
Rectal Cancer Treatment

Part of the book series: Recent Results in Cancer Research ((RECENTCANCER,volume 165))

Abstract

Since colorectal cancer is the second most prevalent cancer worldwide, its treatment remains a major challenge for researchers, gastroenterologists and oncologists. Despite curative resections, half of all patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer die because of their underlying disease. Integral chemotherapeutic components of standard regimens are 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), its modulation by folinic acid and irinotecan or oxaliplatin. All these drugs sequentially given have results in terms of median overall survival of more than 20 months in the palliative treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. Oral fluoropyrimidines, currently under clinical investigation, are likely to substitute continuous 5-FU. Inhibitors of growth factor receptors or their signaling may further prolong disease-free and overall survival rates. Preliminary evidence exists that improved adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy strategies may further improve the prognosis, mainly because more patients are able to go for primary or secondary surgery with curative intent.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany

    Markus Moehler

Authors
  1. Markus Moehler
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  2. Andreas Teufel
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  3. Peter R. Galle
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Allgemeine, Viszerale, Unfallchirurgie und Poliklinik, Chirurgische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Markus W. Büchler  & Jürgen Weitz  & 

  2. Chirurgie, Krankenhaus Gerresheim, Kliniken der Landeshauptstadt, Gräulinger Straße 120, 40625, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Bernward Ulrich

  3. The Pelican Cancer Foundation, North Hampshire Hospital, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 9NA, UK

    Richard John Heald (OBE, Surgical Director) (OBE, Surgical Director)

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© 2005 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Moehler, M., Teufel, A., Galle, P.R. (2005). New Chemotherapeutic Strategies in Colorectal Cancer. In: Büchler, M.W., Weitz, J., Ulrich, B., Heald, R.J. (eds) Rectal Cancer Treatment. Recent Results in Cancer Research, vol 165. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-27449-9_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-27449-9_28

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-23341-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-27449-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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