In recent years, new drugs, modification of current drugs, and immunotherapy are being used in clinical trials worldwide. The following is a review of the treatment modalities currently available as well as future directions for treatment of this major health problem. Treatment modalities cannot be fully understood without a basic comprehension of the pathogenesis of colorectal carcinoma, which is included for completeness. Introduction Colorectal carcinoma, after lung cancer, is the second leading cause of cancer death and the second most frequently diagnosed malignancy in the United States. When localized to the bowel, it is a highly treatable and often curable disease.
Adjuvant chemotherapy improves long term disease-free survival.
Staging of the tumor, which is the extent of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, is felt to be the single most important prognostic indicator. Accurate staging is also used to determine which patients should receive adjuvant therapy. Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group modification of Dukes classification. Postoperative therapy is therefore not routinely indicated for these patients. The cause of colorectal carcinoma is largely unknown.