CHOICE OF TARGETED DRUG FOR SECOND-LINE METASTATIC COLON CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY

Abstract

During the last 5 years the prognosis of metastatic colorectal cancer patients improved significantly. This results not only from increased amount of surgery for metastatic disease and use of targeted drugs in first-line treatment, but also from increased number of patients receiving effective second- and third-line chemotherapy. Currently a minimum of 7 treatment groups can be distinguished depending on prior first-line chemo- and targeted therapy. Consequentially we have less evidence-based data to guide the treatment choice for next treatment lines. This article discusses the choice of targeted drugs in combination with second-line chemotherapy