While colorectal cancer remains one of the most deadly cancers, researchers are making steady progress against this disease. For people living with advanced colorectal cancer and their loved ones, small improvements make a huge difference. We are seeing many patients with metastatic cancer responding well to treatment and living for a longer time. For decades, medications to colorectal cancer were limited to two drugs: 5-Flurouracil and Leucovorin. But in 2004, doctors began to use targeted therapies also. Avastin and Erbitux are mono-clonal antibodies, new generation cancer drugs that can specifically target cancer tumors. The problem with traditional chemotherapy is that it can't be focused--the drug affects both cancer cells and healthy cells alike. Targeted therapies affect the specific mechanisms that allow cancer cells to grow. As a result, they have fewer side effects. Avastin blocks the effect of a substance in the blood that helps tumors to grow new blood vessels. This substance is called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). By preventing the creation of new blood vessels, the tumor is starved; thus slowing down the tumor growth. Erbitux blocks the effects of a different growth factor called Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF). But these drugs are only used for metastatic colorectal cancers in combination with 5-Flourouracil, Leucovorin and Camptosar. Another turning point in treating colorectal cancer is Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant therapy. Adjuvant therapy is where chemotherapy and radiation are used after surgery. Neoadjuvant therapy is an approach where the treatment is given before surgery to make the tumor smaller and easier to remove. This is more convenient and it gives better results. It is a trend that is gaining momentum around the world. With more drugs to use for colorectal cancers, doctors are now trying them in new combinations and sequences. While new drugs get most attention, surgery remains the standard treatment for people in the early stage of this cancer. People can have inflated ideas about keyhole surgeries, but it is found that for rectal cancer, laproscopic surgery has not shown to be as effective as open surgery. Although these treatment advances are a cause for enthusiasm, we need to keep it in perspective. There are two ways to look at it. You could say that it's great that over the last decade, we have doubled the life expectancy of a person with metastatic colon cancer. On the other hand, you could say that over the last ten years, all we managed to add was about twelve months. Both statements are true. Although the steps might be frustratingly small, we are still moving forward. They may not be flashy, but hopefully with time and research, all of these smaller steps may add up to something big.