Adjuvant therapy for colorectal carcinoma.

Abstract

In Western industrialized countries, colorectal adenocarcinoma is the second most common solid malignant tumor. Despite radical surgery in 75% to 80% of all cases, about 50% of patients with colorectal carcinoma die of this tumor. The essential advances of the last years are the reduction in the surgical complication rate and postoperative mortality. Recent studies show that radiotherapy for rectal carcinoma and chemotherapy (5-Fluorouracil in combination with levamisole) for colon carcinoma as additional measures in certain subgroups can significantly improve results. However, such multimodality treatment concepts need adequate equipment and experience and should only be implemented, whenever possible, in controlled clinical trials.