Inclusion Criteria:

- adult patients, >=70 years of age

- cancer of the colon or rectum;

- metastatic disease diagnosed <=6 months before enrolment;

- >=1 measurable metastatic lesion.

Exclusion Criteria:

- adjuvant anti-VEGF treatment;

- prior chemotherapeutic treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer;

- past or current history of other malignancies (with the exception of basal and
squamous cell cancer of the skin, or in situ cancer of the cervix);

- clinically significant cardiovascular disease;

- current or recent daily use of aspirin (>325mg/day) or other NSAID, or full dose
anticoagulants.