OBJECTIVES: As a result of modern systemic therapies available in several treatment lines, metastatic colorectal carcinoma (mCRC) is becoming a chronic disease. Our study aimed to assess the palliative treatment of mCRC in the last six months of life. We examined the role of active treatments 1, 2, 3 or 6 months before death and summarized the related costs of given periods. METHODS: A retrospective analysis, based on the database of the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary (NHIF), was conducted for a 5-year period between July 2011 and June 2016. Outpatient, inpatient and pharmaceutical cost data were analyzed. RESULTS: Out of the 11,592 patients included in the analysis, 8,014 received active therapy six months prior to their death. 3,953 patients within two months and 1,853 patients within one month before death received active treatment (26% biological and 74% non-biological). From the 52 chemotherapy protocols available in Hungary for the treatment of CRC, 41 (80%) were used within the last six months and 21 (40%) in the last month of life. Active therapies applied in the last six months of life cost a total of €49 million to the payer during this 5-year period. Disease management costs exceeded €25 million. Average cost per patient in the last six months of life was €3,419 and €1,554 for the last month of life. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of mCRC patients received active therapy two months before death, and nearly one-fourth of them continued to do so in the last month of life. Even though medication and disease management costs decrease towards death, the amount of financing for the last months of life is still notable.