Capecitabine monotherapy was shown an effective maintenance treatment after chemotherapy with a favorable safety profile. In metastatic breast cancer, single-agent capecitabine was administered at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 twice daily for 14 days, followed by a 7-day rest period, every 3 weeks. Short-course XELOX followed by capecitabine maintenance therapy, at a dose of 1,250 mg/m2 bid on d1-14 every 21 days until disease progression, provides an active and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer. This approach minimises the risk of unwanted cumulative neurotoxicity, is cheaper and more convenient for both patients and healthcare providers.