Rangaswamy Govindarajan, MD

The prognosis for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer is poor. Use of irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar) results in modest response rates of approximately 20% in refractory patients diagnosed with this advanced stage of disease and offers a side-effect profile that improves on that of previous standard treatments.

Dr. Rajkumar has written an excellent overview of the current status of thalidomide (Thalomid) in the treatment of cancer. There is a constant demand for novel therapeutic strategies as alternative or complementary options to the existing armamentarium of chemotherapeutic agents for various malignant disorders.

Fifteen patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were treated with irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar) at 300 to 350 mg/m2 every 21 days and thalidomide (Thalomid) at 400 mg/d. Of the 15 patients, 11 were in a pilot study and 4