This network meta-analysis compared the short-term and long-term efficacies of 
first-line chemotherapy regimens in patients with advanced colorectal cancer 
(CRC). The 10 regimens included folinic acid + 5-fluorouracil + oxaliplatin 
(FOLFOX), folinic acid + 5-fluorouracil + irinotecan (FOLFIRI), folinic acid + 
5-fluorouracil + gemcitabine (FFG), folinic acid + 5-fluorouracil + trimetrexate 
(FFT), folinic acid + 5-fluorouracil (FF), irinotecan + oxaliplatin (IROX), 
raltitrexed + oxaliplatin (TOMOX), folinic acid + tegafur-uracil (FTU), 
raltitrexed, and capecitabine. Electronic searches were performed in the 
Cochrane Library, PubMed and Embase databases from inception to June 2017. 
Network meta-analysis combined direct and indirect evidence to obtain odds 
ratios (ORs) and surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) of 
different chemotherapy regimens for advanced CRC. Fourteen randomized controlled 
trails (RCTs) covering 4,383 patients with advanced CRC were included. The 
results revealed that FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, IROX, and TOMOX all showed higher overall 
response rates (ORRs) than FF or raltitrexed. Compared with raltitrexed, the 
aforementioned four regimens also had higher 1-year progression-free survival 
(PFS) rates. In addition, FOLFOX and FOLFIRI exhibited higher disease control 
rates (DCRs) and 1-year PFS rates than FF or raltitrexed. Cluster analysis 
revealed that FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, and TOMOX had better short-term and long-term 
efficacies. These findings suggest FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, and TOMOX are superior to 
other regimens for advanced CRC. These three regimens are therefore recommended 
for clinical treatment of advanced CRC.