Preface

The management of colorectal cancer has evolved dramatically over the past several decades and continues to do so. Despite widespread agreement on many aspects of this disease, many controversies still remain. The nature of medical or scientific situations in which controversies remain between informed individuals is that the data are insufficient, or insufficiently compelling, to allow for a clear definitive “one right answer” that would be acceptable to all. For this reason, the articles contained within this issue, which are all written by bona fide experts in the field, often espouse opinions and interpretations of available data that are, at least to some degree, in conflict with one another. This should not be interpreted as either inconsistency or the presence of some “right” and some “wrong” opinions, but rather, as a reflection of the state-of-the-art, in which multiple reasonable interpretations of the data and so, multiple reasonable courses of action, are available to us. Consideration of all of these interpretations, and individualization of management as a result, is now the coin of the realm.

I thank the authors for their outstanding and thoughtful contributions, and I hope the readers will find these articles as stimulating, thought-provoking, and helpful as I have, in refining my thoughts and approach to both the clinical and the research aspects of the management of the patient with colorectal cancer.

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