References for the large bowel cancer section

The information in the bowel cancer information centre is based on the CancerBACUP booklet, Understanding cancer of the large bowel (colon and rectum).

The references for the booklet are:

NHS Executive Clinical Outcomes Group. Department of Health Guidance for purchasers: improving outcomes in colorectal cancer Vol 1: (the manual); Vol 2: (the research evidence); Vol 3: (guidance for general practitioners and primary care teams). 1997.
 

• Guidelines for the management of colorectal cancer. Royal College of Surgeons and Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland. 1996.
   
• Guidance on the use of irinotecan, oxaliplatin, and raltitrexed for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). 2001.

The recommendations are that: neither irinotecan or oxaliplatin, in combination with 5FU and folinic acid are recommended for routine first line therapy for advanced colorectal cancer.

Oxaliplatin should be considered for use as a first line chemotherapy, in combination with 5FU and folinic acid, in advanced colorectal cancer for people with metastases only in the liver, which may be able to be removed if the chemotherapy shrinks the metastasis.

Irinotecan is recommended for people whose cancer has not responded to a standard 5FU chemotherapy treatment.

Raltitrexed is not recommended for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. It should be used only as part of research studies.

• Cancer Collaborative. Colorectal cancer. National Patient Access Team. Department of Health. 2001.