To Beating Colorectal Cancer @ (NAPSA)—Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States. Over 148,300 Americansare diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year, and an estimated 56,600 people die of the disease annually. Despite these statistics, there is growing hope for patients. There are now innovative new treat- ment options available, such as an oral chemotherapy that allows patients to take their medication without interrupting work or other activities. To emphasize the importance of education and treatment, physicians and researchers are taking critical steps in educating the public about this disease. The Cancer Research Foundation of America (CRFA), leaders of March’s National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, is teaching the importance of prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer, as well as new treatment options in the fight against the disease. “Recent advances in colorectal cancer detection and treatment options are very encouraging,” said Carolyn Aldig, President and Founder of CRFA. “With appropriate screening, up to 90 percent of colorectal cancers can actually be prevented. It is imperative that all Americans, especially those 50 and over, are educated about colorectal cancer so they can take the proper preventive measures and receive infor- mation on all treatment options. Having an oral chemotherapy available is an option to treat colorectal cancer when combination treatmentis not preferred.” Until recently, people diagnosed with colorectal cancer had limited treatment options available in the form of intravenous chemotherapy. Now colorectal can- cer patients have another option: an oral chemotherapypill called Xeloda. Xeloda, approved by the FDA in Mayof 2001, is used for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer when treatment with fluoropyrimimdine alone is preferred. Combination chemotherapy has shown a survival benefit compared to 5FU/LV alone. A survival benefit has not been demonstrated with Xeloda monotherapy as with the combination chemotherapy. Use of Xeloda instead of 5-FU/LV combinations has not been adequately studied to assure safety or preservation of the survival advantage. “Xeloda is a novel cancer treatment in the category of molecular oncology,” said Dr. Edward Chu of the Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Connecticut. “Since patients can take Xeloda at home, their treatments are less disruptive and require fewer hospital visits than intravenous chemotherapy regimens. Not having to travel to a clinic for treatment allows for more time spent with family and friends, and presents an importantlifestyle benefit.” An estimated 80 to 90 million Americans are currently at risk for developing the disease, andall people over the age of 50 should be tested regularly since the risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with age. According to guidelines adopted by the American Cancer Society, men and women over 50 should have a fecal occult blood test yearly, a sigmoidoscopy every five years, a double-contrast barium enema every five years, and a colonoscopy every ten years. Screening should begin earlier if people have a personalor strong family history of colorectal cancer, or long-standing bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Full indication: Xeloda is approvedforfirst-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer when treatment with fluoropyrimidine therapy alone is preferred. Combination chemotherapy has shown a survival benefit compared to 5-FU/LV alone. A survival benefit has not been demonstrated with Xeloda monotherapy as with the combination chemotherapy. Use of Xeloda instead of 5-FU/LV combinations has not been adequately studied to assure safety or preservation of the survival advantage. Safety: Xeloda is contraindicated in patients with severe renal impairment and those with hypersensitivity to 5-fluorouracil. For patients with moderate renal impairment dose reduction is recommended. Warning: Patients receiving concomitant capecitabine and oral coumarin-derivative anticoagulant therapy should have their anticoagulant response (INR or prothrombin time} monitoredfrequently in order to adjust the anticoagulant dose accordingly. A clinically important Xeloda-war- farin drug interaction was demonstrated in a clinical pharmacologytrial. Altered coagulation parameters and/or bleeding, including death, have been reported in patients taking Xeloda concomitantly with coumarin-derivative anticoagulants such as warfarin and phenprocoumon. Postmarketing reports have shownclinically significant increases in prothrombin time (PT) and INR in patients who were stabilized on anticoagulants at the time Xeloda was introduced. These events occurred within several days and up to several monthsafterinitiating Xeloda therapy and, in a few cases, within one month after stopping Xeloda. These events occurred in patients with and withoutliver metastases. Age greater than 60 and a diagnosis of cancer independently predispose patients to an increased risk of coagulopathy. Xeloda can induce diarrhea, sometimes severe. Patients with severe diarrhea should be carefully monitored and given fluid and electrolyte replacementif they become dehydrated. Incidence of grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events and serious adverse events are greater in patients 2 60 years of age receiving Xeloda in combination with docetaxel. Xeloda may cause fetal harm if given during pregnancy. Patients taking phenytoin concomitantly with Xeloda should be carefully monitored for plasma phenytoin levels; phenytoin dose may need to be reduced. Grade 3 and Grade 4 adverse events (2 5% of patients) are hand-foot syndrome, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, abdominal pain, fatigue, decreased appetite, dehydration, venous thrombosis and dermatitis. As with any cancer therapy, there is a risk of side effects, and these are usually manageable and reversible with dose modification or interruption. Visit http://www.xeloda.com or call Roche at 800-526-6367for full prescribing information. Xeloda is a registered trademark of Hoffmann- La RocheInc.