Role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common health problem in Western countries. In advanced disease, either FOLFOX (oxaliplatin/5-fluorouracil [5-FU]/leucovorin [LV]) or FOLFIRI (irinotecan/LV/5-FU) are accepted first-line chemotherapy regimens, but median survival appears to plateau with a chemotherapy-only approach. The use of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)- and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeting monoclonal antibodies has increased the median survival of patients with advanced CRC beyond 20 months. However, the precise role of cetuximab, panitumumab and bevacizumab in combination with different chemotherapeutic regimens is still being determined in first- and second-line settings. The activity and tolerance of the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), gefitinib erlotinib, and EKB-569, alone or in combination with chemotherapy, have been explored in patients with metastatic CRC. Regarding VEGF receptor TKIs, 2 phase III clinical trials determined the role of vatalanib in combination with FOLFOX Efficacy of the oral multitargeted TKIs sorafenib and sunitinib is under investigation. This article aims to review the role of TKIs in advanced CRC.