Combining tumor debulking with palliative chemotherapy in multiorgan metastatic colorectal cancer does not enhance patient survival.
- Median overall survival was 27.5 months for chemotherapy alone versus 30.0 months with tumor debulking (p=0.26).
- Serious adverse events were higher in the debulking group (53% vs 39%, p=0.006).
Debulking should not become standard practice as it offers no survival benefit and increases complication risk.
Journal Article by Gootjes EC, Bakkerus L (…) Verheul HMW et 17 al. in JAMA
