[Palliative treatment with cytostatics of metastatic colorectal cancer in general practice. A model].

The use of 5-Fluorouracil and Leucovorin is recommended as palliative chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer in patients under 75 years of age with symptomatic disease or objective progression of disease. However, the oncology units do not have the capacity to cope with this large group of patients and this presents a problem. The chemotherapy regime described is simple to use and can be administered by a general practitioner in cooperation with an oncology unit. Courses were held to inform general practitioners, surgeons and internists about the treatment. After an initial evaluation of the patient by an oncologist, treatment was given by the general practitioner according to written instructions. The treatment was evaluated jointly by the oncologist and the general practitioner. It is essential that the general practitioner should have easy access to advice from the oncology unit. It should be considered advantageous to the patient that the medical treatment be given as close to home as possible. This model for treatment will become increasingly important as more antitumour drugs, which can be administered by the general practitioner, become available.