Targeted Therapy: Attacking Cancer with Molecular and Immunological Targeted Agents.

Today, personalized cancer therapy with targeted agents has taken center stage, and offers individualized treatment to many. As the mysteries of the genes in a cell's DNA and their specific proteins are defined, advances in the understanding of cancer gene mutations and how cancer evades the immune system have been made. This article provides a basic and simplified understanding of the available (Food and Drug Administration- approved) molecularly and immunologically targeted agents in the USA.

Metastatic colorectal cancer: management challenges and opportunities.

Median survival of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has increased significantly, owing to individualized treatment plans developed from the available multidisciplinary options for disease management. These plans include early evaluation for possible resection of hepatic metastases, and metastasectomy, as well as coordinated chemobiotherapy for unresectable patients. This article focuses on current management of mCRC, including resection of liver metastases, which offers the possibility of cure to selected patients; sequential chemobiotherapy, which has been used effectively to increase median survival of patients with unresectable mCRC; the roles of neoadjuvant, conversion, and adjuvant chemobiotherapy in patients who undergo hepatic resection; and the emerging use of biomarkers to guide therapy.

Therapeutic options in the management of colon cancer: 2005 update.

Recently, major developments in the treatment of colon cancer have emerged. These developments include improvements in surgical technique and staging and the introduction of new molecularly targeted pharmacologic agents. Improvements in surgical management involve enhanced staging techniques, allowing more accurate determination of risk of recurrence.

New therapeutic options in colon cancer: focus on oxaliplatin.

Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States and the second leading cause in the Northern, Central, and Southern Americas. Appropriate treatment depends on the stage of malignancy, which is determined using the tumor-lymph node-metastases system. In stage III disease, adjuvant chemotherapy increases disease-free and long-term survival following surgery, and chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for advanced disease.