Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the Netherlands, with two patients being diagnosed annually in the average general practice. Important risk factors are age (> 50 years), little physical activity, unhealthy diet, and overweight. Patients without metastases (stage I-III) are eligible for curative treatment and have a reasonable prognosis. However, about half of all patients ultimately develop metastases and receive palliative systemic treatment. It is important that general practitioners are aware of the side effects of fluoropyrimidines, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan, and of the newer 'targeted' drugs such as bevacizumab, cetuximab, and panitumumab. Current research is mainly focused on the identification of predictive factors that can lead to a better selection of patients eligible for these treatments.
| Translated title of the contribution | New developments in the treatment of colon cancer |
|---|---|
| Original language | Dutch |
| Pages (from-to) | 450-454 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Huisarts en Wetenschap |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Aug 2011 |