A review of oxaliplatin and its clinical use in colorectal cancer

ISSN： 1465-6566

Source： Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, Vol.5, Iss.10, 2004-10, pp. : 2159-2170

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of death from malignant diseases in the Western world. Worldwide, ∼ 50% of patients who present with colorectal cancer will develop metastatic disease and eventually die from this malignancy. Recently, significant advances have been made in the medical treatment of advanced colorectal cancer with the introduction of novel cytotoxic drugs, such as irinotecan and oxaliplatin. Based on the results of recent Phase III trials, combination regimens of infusional 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) have emerged as a new standard of care in the palliative and adjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer. The addition of biological agents targeting angiogenesis or oncogenes such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to FOLFOX will conceivably further enhance the activity of treatment regimens. Making use of all available active therapeutic options in the course of disease has significantly improved median overall survival of metastatic colorectal cancer into a chronic disease, with implications for treatment strategies and pharmacoeconomic considerations.