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Management of Colon Cancer and Liver Metastases: Is There a Role for Molecularly Targeted Agents?

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Current Colorectal Cancer Reports

Abstract

Recent advances in caring for metastatic colorectal patients have yielded significantly longer survival times. When metastasis is confined to one or even two organs and is amenable to resection, 20–40 % of patients may be free of disease after 5 years. Surgery is not always possible mainly because of the tumor size or location, the number of metastatic nodules, or inadequate organ reserve. Borderline resectable disease and even clearly inoperable disease may still, though not always, become candidates for R0 resection after successful systemic treatment. There is mounting evidence that regimens that result in greater tumor reductions may have greater impact on resection rates, and the advent of newer, more effective therapies raises the hope that a greater number of patients may eventually be candidates for curative surgical treatments. This article discusses the use of molecularly targeted agents in this context, as well as their risk and benefits related to the surgical procedure.

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Acknowledgments

This article was reviewed by Caio M. Rocha-Lima of the Sylvester Cancer Center of the University of Miami.

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Conflict of Interest

Laura Testa has received compensation for lectures given and service on an advisory board from Novartis, has received compensation for lectures given from AstraZeneca, has received reimbursement for international meeting expenses from Roche, and has received compensation for lectures given as well as reimbursement for domestic meeting expenses from Pfizer.

Maria Ignez Braghiroli, Paulo Herman, and Paulo M. Hoff declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Doutor Arnaldo 251, São Paulo, SP, 01246-000, Brazil

    Laura Testa, Maria Ignez Braghiroli, Paulo Herman & Paulo M. Hoff

  2. Centro de Oncologia, Hospital Sírio Libanês, Rua D. Adma Jafet 91, Bela Vista, São Paulo, SP, 01308-050, Brazil

    Laura Testa, Maria Ignez Braghiroli & Paulo M. Hoff

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  1. Laura Testa
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Correspondence to Laura Testa.

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Testa, L., Braghiroli, M.I., Herman, P. et al. Management of Colon Cancer and Liver Metastases: Is There a Role for Molecularly Targeted Agents?. Curr Colorectal Cancer Rep 10, 133–139 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11888-014-0213-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11888-014-0213-x

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