Metastatic colorectal cancer is commonly treated with a regime called FOLFIRI, consisting of 5-fluorouracil, Camptosar (irinotecan), and leucovorin. Long term survival with this treatment has shown to have mediocre results.

Erbitux (cetuximab) is a type of targeted therapy called a monoclonal antibody. Erbitux targets EGFR, the epidermal growth factor receptor, and can reduce the spread of cancer.

The addition of Erbitux to the chemotherapy regime FOLFIRI can improve progression free survival compared to just receiving FOLFIRI alone. The CRYSTAL study compared Erbitux/FOLFIRI to FOLFIRI alone for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. One thousand patients who had not received any prior therapy after learning of the spread of the disease were enrolled in the Phase III clinical trial.

The study concluded that it was indeed a good idea to include Erbitux with the FOLFIRI in first line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. Progression free survival was significantly improved.

More and more we are hearing about monoclonal antibody's like Erbitux. Here is some other information posted on The Cancer Blog about Erbitux:

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