Treatment Strategies for Primarily Generalized Colorectal Cancer

Treatment Strategies for Primarily Generalized Colorectal Cancer Prospective Randomized Comparison Between Two Treatment Strategies

For patients with primarily generalized colorectal cancer two treatment strategies are compared to establish which strategy gives best overall survival.

The traditional strategy is to first resect the primary colorectal tumour and then treat the metastases with chemotherapy followed if possible by surgery.

The alternative strategy is to first treat the metastases with chemotherapy followed if possible by surgery and only resect the primary colorectal tumour if there is hope for cure or if symptoms develop that necessitates treatment.

Patients are randomized between the two treatment strategies mentioned above. After initial treatment the patients are categorized as palliative or treated with curative intent. Patients are followed with quality of life evaluations every 6 months. Outpatient visits, hospital care, examinations and treatment are recorded as well as complications and side effects. Survival is recorded and for those patients treated with curative intent the tumour situation 3 years after randomization is evaluated.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with primarily generalized colorectal cancer diagnosed by pathology or typical appearance on x-ray or at endoscopy and where there is uncertainty regarding best treatment strategy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients not willing to participate or unable to sign informed consent.
• Patients with other malignancy with metastatic potential
• Patients where synchronous resection of primary tumour and metastases is planned
• Patients not fit for chemotherapy or surgery
• Patients with locally unresectable primary tumours
• Patients with symptoms from primary colorectal tumour necessitating resection