Oxaliplatin, Leucovorin, and Fluorouracil With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery for Stage II Colon Cancer

To join this study, you must have had surgery for stage 2 colon cancer. This means the cancer was found in your colon but had not spread to other organs. Your original tumour must be at least 12cm from your anus, or confirmed by surgical examination. Also, a sample of your tumour (often taken during surgery) must be available for testing to help doctors understand more about your cancer.

There are certain conditions that would mean you can't join this study. For example, if you have other tumours in your bowel, or if you have a history of inflammatory bowel disease, you wouldn't be able to take part. However, if you have a condition called hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), you may still be eligible.

Based on your tumour test results, you'll be put into a “high-risk” or “low-risk” group. If you're in the high-risk group, you’ll be randomly assigned to receive either the standard chemotherapy or the chemotherapy plus bevacizumab. If you're in the low-risk group, you'll be closely observed without receiving additional drug treatment.

If you join this study, your participation will involve several steps. Firstly, after your surgery, a sample of your tumour will be tested to help decide if your cancer is considered high-risk or low-risk. If you're in the high-risk group, you'll be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: one group receives standard chemotherapy (oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil), and the other group receives the same chemotherapy plus bevacizumab. Each treatment cycle is given every two weeks for a total of 12 cycles (about 6 months). If you receive bevacizumab, you'll continue to receive it alone for another 12 cycles after the chemotherapy finishes.

The chemotherapy drugs are given as an injection into a vein (intravenously), taking a few hours. Bevacizumab is also given as an injection into a vein over approximately 30-90 minutes. Throughout your treatment, doctors will closely monitor you for any side effects. If you're in the low-risk group, you won't receive extra drug treatment but will be closely observed.

After your treatment or observation period ends, you'll have regular follow-up appointments. These will be every three months for the first two years, then every six months for the next three years, and finally once a year for a further 10 years. This long follow-up helps researchers track your health and how well the treatments worked over time.