The chemotherapy of colorectal cancer

5-fluorouracil remains the single chemotherapeutic agent that produces effective palliation in advanced colorectal carcinoma. Other drugs and combinations with 5-FU often produce increased and sometimes excessive toxicity and offer no advantage over 5-FU alone. Further observations of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil are needed before we can be certain of improved 5- or 10-year survivorship over that achieved by surgery alone.