Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Improves Outcomes in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
IN THE FIRST REPORT of the full cohort of CheckMate-142, nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) led to a 1-year overall survival rate of 85% in previously treated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have DNA mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) or microsatellite instability–high...
Is There a Benefit of Maintenance Bevacizumab During Chemotherapy-Free Intervals in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer?
As reported by Aparicio et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a French phase III trial (PRODIGE 9) showed no benefit of maintenance bevacizumab (Avastin) during postinduction chemotherapy-free intervals in metastatic colorectal cancer. Study Details In the open-label trial, 491 patients from ...
Two Genetic Mutations Implicated in Breast Cancer Emerge From Study of Lynch Syndrome
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) and GeneDx, a genetic testing company, have identified two new genetic mutations associated with breast cancer: MSH6 and PMS2. The researchers’ study—published by Roberts et al in Genetics in Medicine—suggests that...
Detecting and Localizing Eight Cancer Types With One Multianalyte Blood Test
Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers developed a single blood test that screens for eight common cancer types and also helps identify the location of the cancer. The test, called CancerSEEK, is a unique noninvasive, multianalyte test that simultaneously evaluates levels of eight cancer...
2018 GI CANCERS SYMPOSIUM: Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Yields Survival Benefit in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) led to a 1-year overall survival rate of 85% in previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer patients with DNA mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) or microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H) tumors. These data were presented in the first report ...
2018 GI CANCERS SYMPOSIUM: Novel Triplet Combination Improves Progression-Free Survival in Patients With BRAF-Mutant Colorectal Cancer
Updated results were recently reported from the 30 patient safety lead-in of the phase III BEACON CRC trial evaluating the triplet combination of encorafenib (a BRAF inhibitor), binimetinib (an MEK inhibitor), and cetuximab (Erbitux, an anti–EGFR antibody) in patients with BRAF-mutant...
Mark Saunders, MD, PhD, on Colorectal Cancer: Results From the SCOT Trial
Mark Saunders, MD, PhD, of Christie Hospital, discusses study findings on tumor sidedness and the influence of chemotherapy duration on disease-free survival (Abstract 558).
Thierry André, MD, and Michael J. Overman, MD, on Colorectal Cancer: Results From Two CheckMate-142 Trials
Thierry André, MD, of Hôpital Saint-Antoine, and Michael J. Overman, MD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discuss findings from their respective CheckMate-142 studies on nivolumab and ipilimumab in patients with DNA mismatch repair–deficient/microsatellite instability–high metastatic colorectal cancer (Abstracts 553, 554).
2018 GI CANCERS SYMPOSIUM: Liquid Biopsy Test May Detect Early-Stage Colorectal Cancer
A new study has found that a test that identifies circulating tumor cells (CTCs) present in the bloodstream can detect colorectal cancer at an early stage, with accuracy ranging from 84% to 88%. Most prior studies using CTCs have been able to detect late-stage colorectal cancer, and this study is...
Growing Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Management of Brain Metastases
Increasing use of a potentially life-saving treatment for metastatic cancer is leaving too many vulnerable patients behind, according to a new study from Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital published by Kann et al in JNCCN – Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The...
Fiber Is Only One Component in Improving Outcomes in Cancer Survivors
SINCE 2003, every iteration of the American Cancer Society’s Nutrition Guidelines for Cancer Survivors has advocated for a plant-based diet with ample quantities of whole grains, as well as vegetables and fruits.1-3 This recommendation has been based primarily on data that such foods play in...
Outcomes Associated With Higher Fiber Intake After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis
IN A STUDY reported in JAMA Oncology, Mingyang Song, MD, ScD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and colleagues found that higher fiber intake after diagnosis of nonmetastatic colorectal cancer is associated with improved colorectal cancer–specific and overall survival.1 ...
Combination Agent in Asian Patients With Previously Treated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
In the Asian phase III TERRA trial, trifluridine/tipiracil (Lonsurf) produced a significant improvement in overall survival vs placebo among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer refractory or intolerant of standard chemotherapies with or without exposure to biologic therapies. These findings...
Primary Tumor Location and Outcomes in Stage III Colon Cancer According to RAS- and BRAF-Mutation Status
In a study in the PETACC-8 trial population reported in JAMA Oncology, Taieb et al found that the risk of recurrence in patients with stage III colon cancer differed for the primary tumor location according to RAS- and BRAF-mutation status. Study Details A total of 2,559 patients were...
FDA Approves New Oral Solution for Colonoscopy Preparation
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc approval to market a combination sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and anhydrous citric acid oral solution (Clenpiq) for cleansing the colon in adults undergoing a colonoscopy. With availability planned in...
Study Suggests Measurable Impact of an ACS Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
A new study suggests that an American Cancer Society (ACS) program has been effective in promoting improvements in colorectal cancer screening rates in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The study data, published by Riehman et al in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, shows the...
Association of Fiber Intake After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Survival
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Song et al found that higher fiber intake after diagnosis of nonmetastatic colorectal cancer is associated with improved colorectal cancer–specific and overall survival. The benefit was also observed with a higher intake of whole grains. Study Details...
ESMO Asia 2017: AXEPT Trial: New Second-Line Therapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Is Effective and Safe
A randomized trial in 650 patients has confirmed the safety and efficacy of a new second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer, researchers reported at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Asia 2017 Congress (Abstract LBA3_PR). Oral fluorinated pyrimidines have been...
Mismatch Repair–Deficiency Testing in Patients With Colorectal Cancer
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Shaikh et al found that despite existing recommendations, mismatch repair (MMR)-deficiency testing is underused in patients with colorectal cancer, including younger patients. As noted by the authors, MMR deficiency is observed in up to 15% of sporadic...
Differences in Insurance Coverage Associated With Nearly Half of Black-White Survival Disparity in Colorectal Cancer
Health insurance coverage differences account for nearly one-half of the black-white survival disparity in colorectal cancer patients, according to a new study published by Sineshaw et al in Gastroenterology. The findings reinforce the importance of equitable health insurance coverage to mitigate...
Ventana MMR IHC Panel for Patients Diagnosed With Colorectal Cancer Receives FDA Clearance
On November 14, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) granted clearance to the Ventana MMR IHC Panel, which provides clinicians with a comprehensive group of immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The tests detect proteins associated with the DNA...
Association of Tumor HER3 Expression With Treatment Outcome in Advanced Colorectal Cancer
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Seligmann et al found that higher tumor HER3 messenger RNA expression among patients with RAS wild-type tumors was associated with a better outcome with panitumumab (Vectibix) plus irinotecan vs irinotecan alone among patients with advanced colorectal cancer in ...
AACR-NCI-EORTC: Colorectal Cancer Test Could Detect Early Cancer-Causing Genetic Biomarkers With High Degree of Sensitivity
An investigational test that screens for colorectal cancer could detect genetic mutations that are indicative of the disease with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity, according to results of a study presented by Powell et al at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular...
AACR-NCI-EORTC: Colorectal Cancers May Mutate to Escape Immune System Detection
Whole-exome sequencing revealed that colorectal cancers with high mutational load (microsatellite instability–high, or MSI-H) predominantly use “immunoediting” to escape immune surveillance, while colorectal cancers with low mutational load (microsatellite stable, or MSS) use...
Could the Rising Rates of Colorectal Cancer in AYAs Be Linked to HPV Infection?
TWO STUDIES published this year examining the incidence of colorectal cancer in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) show an undeniable and sobering trend: Colorectal cancer rates are increasing in this age group, and younger people are dying of the cancer at slightly higher rates than in previous...
Nivolumab in MSI-H or dMMR Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
ON JULY 31, 2017, nivolumab (Opdivo) was granted accelerated approval for treatment of patients 12 years and older with DNA mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) and microsatellite instability– high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer progressing following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine,...
Immunotherapy for Metastatic Mismatch Repair–Deficient Colorectal Cancer: Game-Changer for Small Group of Patients
PATIENTS WITH DNA mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer display a high level of microsatellite instability (MSI-H)1 and demonstrate poor chemosensitivity and shorter overall survival than patients with mismatch repair–proficient (pMMR) metastatic metastatic colorectal...
Nivolumab in Advanced DNA Mismatch Repair–Deficient or Microsatellite Instability–High Colorectal Cancer
THE PHASE II CHECKMATE 142 TRIAL has shown that nivolumab (Opdivo) produces durable responses in previously treated recurrent or metastatic DNA mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR)/ microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer. These study findings were reported in The Lancet Oncology...
Preexisting Dementia and Survival in Older Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer
A pre-existing diagnosis of dementia was associated with increased risk of death for older patients with advanced colon cancer; however, some of the effects of dementia on survival could be mediated by receipt of chemotherapy, according to results of a study published by Chen et al in Cancer...
Remnant Liver Ischemia and Cancer-Specific Survival After Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases
In a single-center experience reported by Yamashita et al in JAMA Surgery, postoperative remnant liver ischemia of grade ≥ 2 was associated with worse cancer-specific survival after resection of colorectal liver metastases. Study Details The retrospective analysis included 202 patients who...
Jaafar Bennouna, MD, on Colorectal Cancer: Clinical Trial Findings on Targeted Treatments and Chemotherapy
Jaafar Bennouna, MD, of the University of Nantes, discusses findings from a phase II French study of bevacizumab or cetuximab plus chemotherapy after progression with bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with wild-type KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer (Abstract 477O).
Study Finds Gut Microbes May Promote Immune Responses Against Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cancer-related cause of death worldwide, accounting for 774,000 deaths in 2015, according to the World Health Organization. Now, a study presented at the third CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science Into Survival, ...
First-Line Cetuximab vs Bevacizumab Plus Chemotherapy in KRAS Wild-Type Colorectal Cancer
A phase III trial has shown no significant difference in overall survival with first-line cetuximab (Erbitux) vs bevacizumab (Avastin) plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer. These study findings were reported by Alan Venook, MD, of University of ...
Labetuzumab Govitecan in Heavily Pretreated Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
As reported by Dotan et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the antibody-drug conjugate labetuzumab govitecan showed antitumor activity in a phase I/II trial in patients with heavily pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer who had received prior irinotecan therapy. The agent comprises...
Association of Systemic Inflammation and Sarcopenia With Survival in Early-Stage Colorectal Cancer
Results from the C SCANS (Colorectal Cancer: Sarcopenia, Cancer, and Near-Term Survival) study indicate that prediagnosis systemic inflammation and at-diagnosis sarcopenia are associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with nonmetastatic colorectal cancer. The findings were reported in ...
African American Men Have Lowest Survival Rates Among Patients With Anal Cancer
Over the past 30 years, squamous cell carcinoma of the anus has been one of the few cancers with a steadily rising incidence in the United States, with the most rapid increase seen in black men. To further investigate this trend, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center...
Clinical Genomics Implements QIAGEN’s Tube Collection Technology for Colorectal Cancer Recurrence Assay
On August 21, Clinical Genomics announced they have implemented QIAGEN’s PAXgene circulating cell-free DNA tube blood sample collection in its Colvera colorectal cancer recurrence assay. Colvera, an integrated liquid biopsy solution, is designed to enable easy and accurate...
Nodal Stage Migration and Prognosis in Anal Cancer
In a study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Sekhar et al found that the increasing proportion of lymph node–positive disease associated with enhanced detection techniques has led to nodal stage migration in anal cancer, which may reduce prognostic discrimination on the basis of lymph node...
Clinical Trials Actively Recruiting Patients With Stage II/III Colorectal Cancer
The information contained in this Clinical Trials Resource Guide includes actively recruiting clinical studies focused on patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer. These studies highlight dietary intervention, supplements, immunotherapy, combination chemotherapy, neoadjuvant therapy, and...
Colorectal Cancer Mortality Rates in Adults Aged 20 to 54 Years From 1970 to 2014
In a research letter to JAMA, Siegel et al reported that overall colorectal cancer mortality rates have declined in the United States between 1970 and 2014 in patients aged 20 to 54 years but increased in white persons in this age group between 2004 and 2014. Study Details In the study,...
Imaging and Biomarker Test Could More Accurately Predict Longer-Term Patient Response to Regorafenib in Colorectal Cancer
Administering a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and a blood test to patients with metastatic colorectal cancer may help to select those who would benefit from a targeted cancer treatment, a new study published by Khan et al in Gutreported. Researchers found that after only 2 weeks on the...
Nivolumab in Advanced DNA Mismatch Repair–Deficient or Microsatellite Instability–High Colorectal Cancer
The phase II CheckMate 142 trial has shown that nivolumab (Opdivo) produces durable responses in recurrent or metastatic DNA mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer. These study findings were reported in The Lancet Oncology by Overman...
New Data Reported on Vemurafenib, Vitamin D, Selective Internal Radiotherapy, and Circulating Tumor DNA in Colorectal Cancer
RESULTS OF the IDEA trial, which showed that some patients with stage III low-risk colon cancer may require less oxaliplatin therapy (see the June 25 issue of The ASCO Post), were among the findings highlighted at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting Plenary Session. Other studies of interest in colorectal ...
Expert Point of View: Frank Sinicrope, MD
FRANK SINICROPE, MD, Professor of Oncology and Co-Leader of the GI Cancer Program at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, said CHARTA addressed whether patient outcomes can be improved with a triplet regimen plus bevacizumab (Avastin) vs a standard doublet plus bevacizumab. This was based upon the finding...
More Support for FOLFOXIRI/Bevacizumab in Advanced Colorectal Cancer
A RANDOMIZED head-to-head comparison in patients with advanced colorectal cancer found that a regimen of FOLFOXIRI (fluorouracil/leucovorin, oxaliplatin, irinotecan) plus bevacizumab (Avastin) was more effective than a regimen of FOLFOX (fluorouracil/leucovorin, oxaliplatin) plus bevacizumab as...
FDA Approves Nivolumab in MSI-H or dMMR Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nivolumab (Opdivo) injection for intravenous use for the treatment of adult and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer...
Expert Point of View: Steven J. Cohen, MD, and Josep Tabarnero, MD, PhD
STEVEN J. COHEN, MD, Director of the Rosenfeld Cancer Center at Jefferson Health/Abington Hospital, Abington, Pennsylvania, and Vice Chair of Medical Oncology at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, and Josep Tabernero, MD, PhD, Head of Medical Oncology and the Gastrointestinal Tumors and...
Tumor ‘Sidedness’ in Colon Cancer: Studies Look for Explanations
TUMOR “SIDEDNESS” in colon cancer has become a topic of great interest, after right-sided tumors were shown to have a worse prognosis than left-sided ones and biologics were found to differ in efficacy based on side. At the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting, studies explored why this might be so. Three...
FDA Grants Marketing Approval to the Praxis Extended RAS Panel
On June 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted marketing approval to the Praxis Extended RAS Panel, a next-generation sequencing test to detect certain genetic mutations in RAS genes in tumor samples of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. The test is used to aid in the...
Effect of Salvage Surgery on Survival in Recurrence After Treatment of Rectal Cancer
In a large single-center analysis reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ikoma et al found that salvage surgery was associated with prolonged survival in patients with lung-only and liver-only recurrence but not in those with locoregional-only recurrence after preoperative chemotherapy and...
