The Food and Drug Administration is seeking help from an independent advisory panel to determine if changes should be made in the way Pharmacia's Camptosar is administered. Camptosar is a first-line treatment for colorectal cancer and is often used in combination with three other drugs, fluorouracil, irinotecan, and leucoverin.

Recently, though, two independent studies suspended enrollment of new patients due to alarming new information about the drug combinations. The studies showed "an unexpectedly high rate of death" associated with certain doses of Camptosar.

Officials with Pharmacia defend the drug, arguing that the studies were statistically flawed.