Colon and Rectal Cancers - Medications

Tumor Growth Factor Inhibitors. Tumor growth factors, such as epidermal growth factor, stimulate cell growth. Drugs that target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) include the recently approved cetixumab (Erbitux).

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors. Tyrosine kinase is an enzyme associated with EGFR that is involved with the signaling mechanisms that prompt cell growth. Clinical trials are currently investigating the use of the lung cancer drug gefitinib (Iressa), in combination with oxaliplatin and standard chemotherapy agents, for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. Gefitinib blocks tyrosine kinase growth signaling capacities. Similarly, the EGFR/tyosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib (Tarceva), which is in late-stage trials for the treatment of pancreatic and lung cancer, is also being investigated as an adjuvant treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Vaccines. ALVAC is an experimental vaccine derived from the canarypox virus. It is designed to trigger the body's immune system to fight cancer cells. It is currently in early-stage clinical trials to determine its efficacy in combination with chemotherapy for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

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