Open AccessChemotherapy of advanced colorectal cancer: When do we have to stop?
Author(s) -
D. Radosavljević
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta chirurgica iugoslavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2406-0887
pISSN - 0354-950X
DOI - 10.2298/aci1601029r
Subject(s) - medicine , chemotherapy , colorectal cancer , quality of life (healthcare) , palliative chemotherapy , intensive care medicine , oncology , toxicity , disease , drug , systemic therapy , cancer , pharmacology , nursing , breast cancer
Chemotherapy of advanced colorectal cancer improved significantly patients? survival in last two decades. Continuum of treatment means that patient should receive all valuable drugs active in metastatic colorectal patients, during the treatment course, but detailed treatment plan should be made taking into account patient and tumour characteristics, and drug availability. Several treatment strategies should provide patients with optimal balance between efficacy and treatment toxicity. Decision about stopping systemic chemotherapy, after tumour progression or unacceptable toxicity, and transition to palliative treatment is not an easy task for doctor and requires a really good communication with patient. Continuation of systemic treatment in very advanced disease, in pre-terminal patients, may adversely affect patient?s overall quality of life, and very rarely has a positive impact on length of survival.