The FIRE-3 trial is a multicenter randomized phase III trial investigating 5-FU, folinic acid and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) plus cetuximab versus FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab in first line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Planned accrual is 284 evaluable patients per treatment arm. The primary study endpoint is objective response rate. Secondary endpoints are median progression free survival, median overall survival, safety, and secondary resection rate.