Colorectal cancer is a collective term used to describe cancers of the colon and rectum. When colorectal cancers reach their advanced stages, chemotherapy is sometimes used to ease cancer symptoms rather than cure the main disease.

The Facts

Colorectal cancer treatments are matched to the severity of the disease. In cases of advanced disease, a cure is typically no longer possible, and efforts shift toward improving a patient's quality of life. This is commonly called palliative treatment.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells. It is frequently given as a systemic treatment, which means it circulates throughout the body.

Palliative Use of Chemotherapy

When the overall progression of cancer cannot be stopped, the ability of systemic chemotherapy to limit cell growth may diminish the worst effects of the disease.

Treatment Options

According to U.S. National Library of Medicine and CancerHelp UK, common chemotherapy options for advanced cancer of the colon include oxaliplatin, irinotecan and 5-fluorouracil. These drugs may be given separately or in combination with other forms of treatment.

Additional Considerations

In addition to easing the effects of symptoms, palliative chemotherapy may also prolong the lives of sufferers of advanced colorectal cancer.

Source:

U.S. National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health

The Mayo Clinic

CancerHelp UK

Resource:

American Cancer Society - How Is Colorectal Cancer Treated?