Combining capecitabine and oxaliplatin yields promising activity in advanced colorectal cancer. The main toxicity is diarrhea, which is manageable with appropriate dose reductions. On the basis of our toxicity experience, we recommend use of capecitabine in combination with oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) at an initial dose of 1,250 mg/m(2) bid in nonpretreated patients and at a dose of 1,000 mg/m(2) bid in pretreated patients.

For elderly, asymptomatic patients not undergoing curative local treatment, we were unable to show any major advantage of immediate compared with deferred hormonal treatment regarding quality of life or overall survival in our limited number of patients. Disabling complications were prevented in the deferred-treatment arm by careful follow-up; 42% of these patients never required any tumor-specific treatment.