How far are we going in colorectal cancer?
In June 2013, Chinese Clinical Oncology has launched a special issue dedicated to colorectal cancer (www.thecco.net/issue/view/112) aiming to provide a state of art knowledge in colorectal cancer.
As is indicated by Prof. Daniel Haller, our Guest Editor for this special issue, the choice of topics for this special issue was, in part, dependent on identifying topics of interest written by the best authors.
In the special issue, both the genetic factors and environmental and dietary contributions to the development of this malignancy are evaluated. Then the evolution of surgical management as the widely accepted treatment for this malignancy is reviewed, including discussions of laparoscopic resection of colon and rectal tumors, the role of total mesenteric excision for rectal cancers, metastasectomy and local excision for early rectal cancer.
As the surgical treatment of colorectal liver metastases represents one of the opportunities to cure patients with metastatic disease, related chapters stress that technical competence is important in liver resections, but equally or more important are patient selection, imaging, knowledge of natural history and the undertaking of resection within the setting of a multidisciplinary program.
The adjuvant treatment of colon cancer in patients with stage II, node-negative, disease as a controversial topic and the widespread concern of patient selection and the decision to use single-agent fluoropyrimidines or combination chemotherapy in stage III colon cancer are further discussed. Moreover, the Adjuvant Colon Cancer End Points (ACCENT) database, which was designed to study early stage colon cancer with data pooled across many similar trials was well illustrated as an experience sharing. With all the topics thoroughly explored, this special issue concludes with envision of newer trend of the therapy of the important subset of patients, where tumors of the rectum is elaborated.
“I hope that the readers of this special issue will enjoy and learn from some of the world’s thought leaders in early colorectal cancer, and use this information in their daily practice”, said Prof. Daniel G. Haller.
Following its successful publication, this special issue is translated in Chinese and the Chinese version will be launched as a Chinese ebook by the end of 2013. Please follow up and enjoy.
Topics covered in the special issue:
♦ Preface
Causes and management of early colorectal cancer
Daniel G. Haller
♦ Review Article
Practical genetics of colorectal cancer
Henry T. Lynch, Trudy G. Shaw
Prevention of colorectal cancer and dietary management
Ningqi Hou, Dezheng Huo, James J. Dignam
Current surgical considerations for colorectal cancer
Cary B. Aarons, Najjia N. Mahmoud
Surgical treatment of colorectal liver metastases
Amanda B. Cooper, Steven A. Curley
Stage II colon cancer
David N. Church, Rachel Midgley, David J. Kerr
Adjuvant therapy of stage III colon cancer
Weijing Sun, Daniel G. Haller
Mining the ACCENT database: a review and update
Lindsay A. Renfro, Qian Shi, Daniel J. Sargent
Future of therapy for rectal cancer
Bruce D. Minsky
Acknowledgements
Disclosure: The author declares no conflict of interest.
