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Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer

  • Chapter
Colorectal Cancer

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Oncology ((CCO))

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Abstract

Colon cancer is curable by surgery, but frequently recurs despite apparently complete surgical resection. The risk of such recurrence is closely linked to pathological stage. The concept of adjuvant chemotherapy was conceived many years ago as a way of eradicating microscopic residual disease, and proven by randomized clinical trials in colon cancer in the 1980s. Since that time, many important trials have been completed, and both our understanding of and armamentarium against locoregionally confined colon cancer have improved as a result. Despite this, certain aspects of adjuvant therapy remain controversial, particularly the use of adjuvant therapy in patients with node-negative colon cancer. In this chapter we review the studies that proved adjuvant 5-FU-based therapy effective, discuss controversies in adjuvant therapy, review recent trials with additional agents, and finally discuss the potential for molecular markers to augment stage in determining risk and response to therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology and Oncology Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

    Bert H. O’Neil MD, Hanna Kelly MD & Richard M. Goldberg MD

  2. Division of Medical Oncology Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

    Michael A. Morse MD

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  1. Bert H. O’Neil MD
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  2. Hanna Kelly MD
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  3. Michael A. Morse MD
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  4. Richard M. Goldberg MD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Gastrointestinal Oncology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

    Leonard B. Saltz MD

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O’Neil, B.H., Kelly, H., Morse, M.A., Goldberg, R.M. (2007). Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer. In: Markman, M., Saltz, L.B. (eds) Colorectal Cancer. Current Clinical Oncology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-215-1_8

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