Feb 20, 2006

Treatment Standard For Elderly With Colon Cancer

One of the newest and most potent chemotherapies for colon cancer is as safe and effective for the elderly as it is for younger patients, based on a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-led data review.

The analysis focused on nearly 4,000 colon cancer patients who had been enrolled in four large-scale clinical trials that began in the 1990s nationwide and in Europe. The four studies helped establish the value against colorectal cancer of the chemotherapy regimen known as FOLFOX4, a combination of the standard anticancer drugs 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), leucovorin and the new drug oxaliplatin.

"These four studies redefined the treatment standards for colorectal cancer in the United States," said Dr. Richard Goldberg, professor of medicine in UNC's School of Medicine and chief of hematology-oncology at UNC Health Care. "At the time the trials were designed, FOLFOX was experimental; now it is standard."

Goldberg also is associate director of clinical research at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

He presented the findings of his review Jan. 25 to a gastrointestinal cancer symposium in San Francisco convened by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Radiation Oncology, the American Gastroenterological Association and the Society of Surgical Oncology.

Although the average age of people nationwide with colorectal cancer is 67 years, individuals older than age 70 accounted for only about 16 percent of patients enrolled in the four FOLFOX clinical trials.

According to Goldberg, this shows that older patients are under-enrolled in clinical trials and also explains why doctors who must manage older colon cancer patients "are not as certain what to do for them as they are for the population that is most represented in clinical trials: those under the age of 65."

In our aging society, an increasing number of people with colorectal cancer are going to be in their seventies and eighties, Goldberg said. "So doctors need to sort out what to do for these patients," he added.

Sue      

Do You Read All Of Our Cancer Blogs?

Do you read all of the blogs published by medicineworld.org? Many of our bloggers are busy keeping you updated on the various health related topics. We publish the following blogs at this time.

Cancer blog: I manage the cancer blog with lots of help and support form other bloggers. Through this cancer blog my friends and I try to bring stories of hope for patients with cancer. The cancer blog often republishes important blog posts from other cancer related blogs at Medicineworld.org. If you are searching for a blog that covers wide variety of cancer topics, this may be the one for you.

Breast cancer blog: Breast cancer blog is run by Emily and other bloggers and they bring you the latest stories, news and events that are related to breast cancer. Increasing awareness about breast cancer among women and in the general population is the main goal of this breast cancer blog.

Lung cancer blog: Lung cancer blog is managed by Scott with the help of other bloggers. Through this blog Scott and his friends constantly remind the readers about the dangers of smoking. It's a never-ending struggle against this miserable disease with which a social stigma of smoking is associated.

Colon cancer blog: Colon cancer blog is run by Sue and other bloggers. Sue brings a personal touch to the colon cancer blog since her mother died of colon cancer few years ago. She writes about stories, research news and advances in treatment related to colon cancer.

Prostate cancer blog: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men. American Cancer Society estimates that over 230,000 new cases of prostate cancer occur in the United state every year. This important blog about prostate cancer is run by Mark and other bloggers. This blog brings news, stories, and other personal observations related to prostate cancer.

Medicineworld.org publishes a diabetes watch blog and this blog is run by JoAnn other bloggers. This diabetes watch blog brings you the latest in the field of diabetes. This includes personal stories, advances in diagnosis and treatment, and other observations about diabetes. Improving awareness about diabetes is an important mission of this group.

Janet      

Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer is a malignant tumor that arises from the inner wall of the large intestine or rectum. Colorectal cancer is the third commonest cancer diagnosed in the United States. Each year over 100,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the United States. Most, of these cancers develop from growths in the colon called polyps. Removal of these polyps can prevent colon cancer.