The Role of Surgery for Asymptomatic Primary Tumors in Unresectable Stage IV Colorectal Cancer.

ABSTRACT: There are still debates regarding the appropriate primary treatment policy for asymptomatic primary colorectal lesions in cases of unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer. Even though there are patients with asymptomatic primary tumors when starting chemotherapy, those patients may still undergo surgery due to complications related to primary tumors in the middle of chemotherapy; therefore, controversy exists regarding surgical resection of primary colorectal lesions in cases where symptoms are absent when making a diagnosis. Thus, based on the published literature, we discuss opinions that prefer first-line surgery for primary tumors as well as opinions favoring first-line chemotherapy for treating unresectable synchronous metastatic colorectal cancer. Although the upfront chemotherapy

SUBMITTER: Kim YW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3659242 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature