Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, on Colorectal Cancer: Update From the CheckMate 9X8 Trial on Nivolumab, mFOLFOX6, and Bevacizumab
2022 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium
Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, of USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses phase II results from the CheckMate 9X8 study, which compared nivolumab plus fluorouracil/leucovorin/oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) and bevacizumab vs mFOLFOX6 and bevacizumab in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. A subgroup of patients may benefit from adding nivolumab to the standard of care in this setting (Abstract 8).
The ASCO Post Staff
Zev A. Wainberg, MD, of the University of California, Los Angeles, discusses an update, of 25 additional months, on phase III safety and efficacy results from the KEYNOTE-062 trial. This study compared pembrolizumab with or without chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone for patients with PD-L1–positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (Abstract 243).
The ASCO Post Staff
Francesca Battaglin, MD, of USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine, discusses findings from one of the largest studies to investigate recurrent neoantigens in upper gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Battaglin and her team identified peptides with high human leukocyte antigen–binding affinity and an association with a positive tumor inflammation signature in both microsatellite-instable and microsite-stable tumors, suggesting a role for such antigens as potential cancer immunotherapy targets (Abstract 246).
The ASCO Post Staff
Thierry André, MD, of Sorbonne University and Saint-Antoine Hospital, discusses phase II results from the GERCOR NEONIPIGA study, which suggests neoadjuvant therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab may be associated with a high pathologic complete response rate in patients with localized microsatellite instability–high or mismatch repair–deficient esophagogastric adenocarcinoma. This study raises the question of whether surgery could be delayed or avoided for some patients (Abstract 244).
The ASCO Post Staff
Gabriel A. Brooks, MPH, MD, of the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, discusses key studies that, when synthesized, suggest the benefits of oxaliplatin may be less than often assumed. The toxicities are well described (especially neuropathy), and the agent should be used cautiously and sparingly beyond the third month of adjuvant treatment for patients with colon cancer and in the elderly or frail with metastatic disease.
The ASCO Post Staff
Nilofer Saba Azad, MD, of Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, assesses the findings from the phase III TOPAZ-1 trial, a study of durvalumab in combination with gemcitabine plus cisplatin in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer. Dr. Azad explains why the study sets a potential new standard of care of gemcitabine plus cisplatin and durvalumab in unselected patients.
