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Curable Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

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Abstract

In the United States and Europe, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related death for men and women. In the course of their disease, many patients will present with metastasis, with the liver and lung being the most common locations. Untreated metastatic disease carries a poor prognosis. However, cure is still possible for selected patients with stage IV CRC. Surgical resection provides the best chance for cure, and chemotherapy can be a valuable adjunct when given in a (neo-)adjuvant fashion or as conversion therapy to downsize initially unresectable tumors. For unresectable metastases, alternative treatment options include radiofrequency ablation and hepatic artery infusion. Additional local therapies are being explored, including chemoembolization, radioembolization, and stereotactic body radiation therapy. Prospective randomized trials are needed to further clarify the roles of these novel treatment options in the clinician’s repertoire for metastatic CRC.

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Disclosure

M. J. Eadens: none; A. Grothey: consultant for Genentech, Bayer, Amgen, and Pfizer, and grants from Genentech, Bayer, Daiichi, and ImClone.

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  1. Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Matthew J. Eadens & Axel Grothey

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Eadens, M.J., Grothey, A. Curable Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. Curr Oncol Rep 13, 168–176 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-011-0157-0

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