Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer

Abstract

Early stage colon cancer is typically managed with surgical resection, although not all patients experience a durable remission. Adjuvant chemotherapy with a fluoropyrimidine, with or without oxaliplatin, is commonly utilized to increase the chance of cure, but its efficacy in the neoadjuvant setting is not well established. Preoperative chemotherapy has demonstrated safety and efficacy in other gastrointestinal malignancies, but there is a paucity of data from large, prospective randomized trials, although multiple are ongoing. In this review, we will discuss the theoretical risks and benefits, logistical difficulties, and available safety and efficacy data pertaining to the use of chemotherapy in locally advanced colon cancer.