Prevention and therapy of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is expected to affect more than 146,000 and kill more than 57,000 Americans in 2004. Increased understanding of carcinogenesis is transforming clinical approaches to all stages of this disease. During the last 5 years, four new drugs have been approved for colorectal cancer treatment, and substantial progress has been made in identifying and developing agents that prevent or delay carcinogenesis. These advances substantiate target-driven approaches to cancer prevention and treatment, and provide fruitful opportunities for future investigations.