In commenting on this important question Dr Venook contrasted CRC with what is seen with GIST and the reversibility of antitumor action when imatinib is discontinued. In mCRC he believes there is a paucity of data supporting the concept that continuing maintenance therapy prevents the cancer from coming back. He and Dr Bendell would therefore use a short-term pseudoadjuvant approach and discontinue 5-FU/oxaliplatin after 6 cycles.

Venook AP et al. CALGB/SWOG 80405: Phase III trial of irinotecan/5-FU/leucovorin (FOLFIRI) or oxaliplatin/5-FU/leucovorin (mFOLFOX6) with bevacizumab (BV) or cetuximab (CET) for patients (pts) with KRAS wild-type (wt) untreated metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum (MCRC). Proc ASCO 2014;Abstract LBA3.

Stein A et al. The role of peri-operative treatment in resectable liver metastases of colorectal cancer. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2010;2(6):389-98. Abstract