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Real-world data from a large observational study suggests that omitting surgery in strictly selected patients with a clinical complete response does not compromise outcomes in rectal cancer. The 3-year survival rate among patients who received “watch-and-wait” care after initial cancer...
A new analysis of the CALGB 80405 (Alliance) trial suggests that people with metastatic colorectal cancer who are more physically active fare better than those who are less active. In a large clinical trial, patients who at the time of starting chemotherapy reported engaging in physical activity...
Out-of-pocket expenditures are thought to be a significant barrier to receiving cancer preventive services, especially for individuals of lower socioeconomic status. A new study published by Cooper et al in Cancer looked at how the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which eliminated such out-of-pocket...
In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, Pearlman et al found that 16% of patients with early-onset colorectal cancer had germline cancer susceptibility mutations, with a wide array of such mutations being identified. The study involved 450 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age < 50...
A large population-based observational study by Xabier García-Albéniz, MD, PhD, of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues evaluating the effectiveness and safety of screening colonoscopy for the prevention of colorectal cancer in people aged 70 to 74 and 75 to 79 has found...
In a case report in The New England Journal of Medicine, Tran et al at the National Cancer Institute describe response to adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes containing T cells targeting personalized cancer neoepitopes in a patient with lung metastases from...
The 2016 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress revealed many important positive findings from key trials in a number of tumor types, but many highly anticipated phase III trials in advanced disease failed to meet their primary endpoints. The ASCO Post has summarized several of these ...
Blocking a molecule may bypass bowel cancer's defense against the drug cetuximab, according to new research presented by Weir et al at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Cetuximab is used to treat advanced bowel cancer, and just under half ...
In a new report published by Young et al in Cancer Medicine,1 a two-gene circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) blood test for postsurgical monitoring of colorectal cancer recurrence has been shown to detect twice the number of recurrence cases as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing, a standard-of-care...
A new American Cancer Society study finds that incidence of anal cancer has been increasing in women or in both men and women in 13 of 18 countries studied, particularly in the Americas, Northern/Western Europe, and Australia. The authors say population-based preventive measures, including human...
In a new report published by Young et al in Cancer Medicine, a two-gene circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) blood test for postsurgical monitoring of colorectal cancer (CRC) recurrence has been shown to detect twice the number of recurrence cases as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing, a standard of...
Overall survival was poorer with isolated peritoneal metastasis in colorectal cancer vs other isolated sites of metastasis in patients receiving first-line systemic therapy but similar to that in patients with peritoneal plus another metastatic site and in patients with at least two nonperitoneal...
A longer waiting interval from the end of preoperative chemoradiotherapy to surgery increases the rate of pathologic complete response and yields a higher proportion of patients achieving tumor downstaging in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, according to new findings from a...
Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and tumors harboring the BRAF V600E mutation who received triple therapy with dabrafenib (Tafinlar), trametinib (Mekinist), and panitumumab (Vectibix) showed an improved best overall response and prolonged progression-free survival compared to...
In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Loehrer et al found that the 2006 Massachusetts health-care reform has resulted in increased rates of resection and reduced emergent resection for colorectal cancer. The study used the Hospital Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient...
Nintedanib (Ofev) improves progression-free survival but not overall survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who are not responding to standard therapies, according to the results of the phase III LUME-colon 1 trial presented by Van Cutsem et al at the 2016 European Society of...
Derek J. Jonker, MD, of The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, discusses phase III study findings on napabucasin vs placebo in patients with pretreated advanced colorectal cancer. (Abstract 454O)
Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, of the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the importance of tumor location, and its implications for treatment, in right-sided and left-sided metastatic colon cancer.
Sian A. Pugh, MBBS, of Southampton University Hospital, discusses 6 to 12-year findings on the scheduled use of the CEA tumor marker and CT follow-up to detect recurrence of colorectal cancer. (Abstract 453O)
Kerr et al found that adding adjuvant bevacizumab (Avastin) to capecitabine did not improve disease-free survival in unselected patients with stage III or high-risk stage II colorectal cancer. The results of the phase III QUASAR 2 trial were reported in The Lancet Oncology. Study Details In the...
A large population-based observational study by García-Albéniz et al evaluating the effectiveness and safety of screening colonoscopy for the prevention of colorectal cancer in people aged 70 to 74 and 75 to 79 has found the test reaped only a modest benefit in preventing colorectal...
As reviewed in this issue of The ASCO Post, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently updated its guidelines for colorectal cancer screening1 from 2008 and has now included seven acceptable strategies, including direct-visualization modalities (ie, endoscopy and computed tomography...
As reported in JAMA, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued new recommendations for colorectal cancer screening.1 In brief, the USPSTF recommends colorectal cancer screening starting at age 50 years and continuing until age 75 years (grade A recommendation = “The USPSTF...
In a study in Kaiser Permanante patients reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Cespedes Feliciano et al found that the joint presence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in those with early-stage colorectal cancer was associated with poorer overall and colorectal cancer–specific...
In a study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Imperiale et al found that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) colorectal cancer risk assessment tool was able to estimate the current risk for advanced colorectal neoplasia. Study Details The study involved 4,457 persons aged...
In a post hoc analysis of the German phase III FIRE-3 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Stintzing et al found that first-line FOLFIRI (fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan) plus cetuximab (Erbitux) was associated with improved overall survival vs FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab (Avastin) in an...
Intratumoral tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte level and prominent peritumoral Crohn’s-like lymphoid reaction appear to be independent prognostic factors for survival in colorectal cancer, according to a study reported by Rozek et al in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The findings...
Retinoic acid may play a critical role in suppressing colorectal cancer in mice and humans, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Mice with the cancer have lower-than-normal levels of the metabolite in their gut, the researchers found. Furthermore, colorectal...
The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has released new consensus guidelines for the management of metastatic colorectal cancer that reflect an increasingly personalized approach to treatment. These guidelines were published by Van Cutsem et al in Annals of Oncology.1 “Management of...
Screening for colorectal cancer should start at age 50 and continue until age 75, according to the updated recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).1 “Exactly what screening gets done is something that doctors and patients should decide together,” USPSTF Chair Kirsten...
In an updated recommendation statement, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) continues to strongly recommend screening for colorectal cancer for asymptomatic adults aged 50 through 75; but rather than emphasize specific screening strategies, it notes there are multiple screening...
A novel anti–interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) antibody has shown a significant impact on symptoms and a high level of safety and tolerability in patients with advanced colorectal cancer, according to phase III data presented by Hickish et al at the European Society for Medical Oncology’s 18th World...
Anti–PD-L1 (programmed death ligand 1) immunotherapy may achieve a response in patients with microsatellite-stable metastatic colorectal cancer if combined with a MEK inhibitor, according to phase I data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 18th World Congress on...
Pathologic complete response rate was not improved by increasing the interval between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery from 7 to 11 weeks in patients with rectal cancer, according to the French phase III GRECCAR-6 trial reported by Lefevre et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In...
In an analysis reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Niedzwiecki et al found that the ColDx gene-expression signature assay identified high-risk stage II colon cancer among patients in the phase III Alliance C9581 trial. This assay has been shown to be independently prognostic for...
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) recently issued a new clinical practice statement, “Appropriate Customization of Radiation Therapy for Stage II and III Rectal Cancer: An ASTRO Clinical Practice Statement Using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method.” An executive...
A collaboration between multiple European institutions has uncovered a correlation between a rare mutation in colorectal cancers and a better prognosis, raising the possibility that patients with such tumors may not require chemotherapy after surgery. Findings were published by Domingo et al in The ...
The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has released new consensus guidelines for the management of metastatic colorectal cancer that reflect an increasingly personalized approach to treatment. These guidelines were published by Van Cutsem et al in Annals of Oncology. “Management of ...
A novel anti–interleukin-1 alpha antibody has shown a significant impact on symptoms and a high level of safety and tolerability in patients with advanced colorectal cancer, according to phase III data presented by Hickish et al at ESMO’s 18th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer...
Anti–PD-L1 (programmed cell death ligand 1) immunotherapy may achieve a response in patients with microsatellite-stable metastatic colorectal cancer if combined with a MEK inhibitor, according to phase I data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 18th World Congress on ...
A Norwegian population-based study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Simer J. Bains, MD, PhD, of the Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, University of Oslo, and colleagues showed that use of aspirin after diagnosis of colorectal cancer was associated with improved colorectal...
Seven years ago, at age 44, I was the picture of health. I played tennis every day, went bike riding and lifted weights several times a week, and made sure I ate a healthy diet. The closest I had ever come to cancer was caring for my mother during her 2-year illness with esophageal cancer. As it...
The incidence rate of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related anal cancer and its precursor lesion, anal intraepithelial neoplasia, is rising in the United States and globally. Although 5-year survival rates in localized disease are generally favorable, survival in metastatic disease remains poor,...
The study statistics are alarming—and perplexing. According to an analysis of data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) colorectal cancer registry, colon cancer incidence among young adults aged 20 to 34 is expected to increase 90% by 2030, and the incidence of rectosigmoid...
People who visit their primary care physicians are more likely to get potentially life-saving colon cancer screenings and follow-up on abnormal stool blood test results—even in health systems that heavily promote mail-in home stool blood tests that don’t require a doctor visit, a study...
In a French retrospective study reported by David Tougeron, MD, PhD, of Poitiers University Hospital, Poitiers, France, and colleagues in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the addition of adjuvant oxaliplatin to fluoropyrimidine treatment improved disease-free survival in patients with...
Although new gastrointestinal cancers are on the rise, advancements in their treatment, as well as the upcoming results of perioperative trials, could prove to be “clinical practice game-changers,” declared Thomas J. George, Jr, MD, FACP, at the 2016 Community Oncology Conference in Orlando,...
Colorectal cancer is being increasingly diagnosed in persons younger than age 50, the age at which colorectal cancer screening is usually initiated. According to Elie Sutton, MD, of Mount Sinai West Hospital in New York, a review of cases in the National Cancer Data Base revealed that between...
A strategy of matching molecular abnormalities in patients’ tumors to therapies targeted to those abnormalities is gaining ground, according to preliminary results of the phase IIb MyPathway study presented at the 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting.1 These are still early days for this “matching” strategy,...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common and costly disease, largely of the elderly, with nearly 25% of cases diagnosed among patients aged 75–84 years. However, but the guidelines for CRC screening of Americans aged 75 or older vary according to the source. In a study published by Klabunde et al...