Gastrointestinal Cancer

Dr. Pohl and colleagues have provided a comprehensive and well written overview of the current landscape of targeted agents and chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide, with almost 20% of all patients presenting with metastatic disease at the time of their diagnosis. The treatment regimens and options of metastatic colorectal cancer have significantly changed in the last 10 years, leading to an improvement of response rates to about 50%, progression-free survival of about 10 months, and overall survival reaching over 2 years.

When GIST patients develop resistance to imatinib (Gleevec), second-line sunitinib (Sutent) has been shown to achieve a response rate of 7% and a median progression-free survival of 6.2 months. When patients progress on sunitinib, however, therapeutic options have been limited.

A phase II study found improvements in recurrence-free and overall survival with adjuvant imatinib (Gleevec) in high-risk GIST patients, compared with historical controls, Ronald P. DeMatteo, MD, reported at the 2008 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (abstract 8).

A serum marker, colon-cancer-specific antigen-2 (CCSA-2), detects nearly 97% of colorectal cancers and can differentiate between advanced adenomatous polyps and less ominous ones, according to investigators from Johns Hopkins and the University of Pittsburgh who have collaborated on research in this area.

Adjuvant therapy is defined as any treatment administered after surgical resection of a primary tumor with the intent of improving the patient’s outcome by eliminating any occult, viable tumor cells that may have remained after surgery.

To treat, or not to treat-the decision to use adjuvant chemotherapy plagues medical oncologists and patients harnessed with the diagnosis of stage II colon cancer. A look to the literature does not simplify the decision, as significant controversy exists regarding the magnitude of benefit associated with 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy. Dr. Kopetz and colleagues provide a well-organized review of the current literature examining the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II disease, and discuss potential prognostic markers that may help determine who would most likely benefit from treatment.

New data revealing decreasing trends in cancer deaths in the United States overall, and in colorectal cancer deaths in particular, highlight the remarkable benefits of colorectal cancer screening tests, but the lifesaving potential of these tests is unrealized for many Americans, according to experts from the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG).

new Mayo Clinic study found that 40% of pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed with diabetes prior to their pancreatic cancer diagnosis

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors have until recently had a uniformly poor prognosis with lack of effective drug therapies. These tumors usually have activating mutations in either KIT or PDGFR-α tyrosine kinase receptors. Over the past decade, imatinib (Gleevec), a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor has become the standard of care for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable and metastatic disease. For patients with imatinib-resistant disease or intolerant to the side effects of imatinib, sunitinib (Sutent), a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor was recently approved. For earlier-stage disease, status post–complete surgical excision, preliminary data seem encouraging for the role of adjuvant imatinib in prolonging patients' disease-free interval. The impact of neoadjuvant drug therapy needs to be further classified and explored. With additional evaluation of other tyrosine kinase inhibitors and novel therapies against other molecular markers, the treatment paradigm for this malignancy should continue to evolve.

blood-based marker called colon cancer–specific antigen-2 (CCSA-2) may be an accurate indicator of colorectal cancer

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors have until recently had a uniformly poor prognosis with lack of effective drug therapies. These tumors usually have activating mutations in either KIT or PDGFR-α tyrosine kinase receptors. Over the past decade, imatinib (Gleevec), a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor has become the standard of care for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable and metastatic disease. For patients with imatinib-resistant disease or intolerant to the side effects of imatinib, sunitinib (Sutent), a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor was recently approved. For earlier-stage disease, status post–complete surgical excision, preliminary data seem encouraging for the role of adjuvant imatinib in prolonging patients' disease-free interval. The impact of neoadjuvant drug therapy needs to be further classified and explored. With additional evaluation of other tyrosine kinase inhibitors and novel therapies against other molecular markers, the treatment paradigm for this malignancy should continue to evolve.

Complete evaluation of the lymph node basin after surgical resection for colon cancer is important for the accurate identification of nodal involvement and for the complete resection of disease.

Data published in the New England Journal of Medicine show that oral capecitabine (Xeloda) and oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) in combination with epirubicin (Ellence) is a comparable alternative to infused fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin with epirubicin in patients with previously untreated, advanced esophagogastric cancer.

Sunitinib malate (Sutent, SU011248) is an oral multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for treatment of renal cell carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumor. We report a case of a patient who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome after initial treatment with sunitinib, with recurrent symptoms upon reintroducing the drug. This is the first report of such an effect. The literature on chemotherapy-induced Guillain-Barré syndrome is also reviewed. Oncology providers should be aware of this rare but potentially serious possible adverse effect of sunitinib.

Sunitinib malate (Sutent, SU011248) is an oral multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for treatment of renal cell carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumor. We report a case of a patient who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome after initial treatment with sunitinib, with recurrent symptoms upon reintroducing the drug. This is the first report of such an effect. The literature on chemotherapy-induced Guillain-Barré syndrome is also reviewed. Oncology providers should be aware of this rare but potentially serious possible adverse effect of sunitinib.

multicenter, open-label, randomized phase III trial recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine (357:2040-2048, 2007) demonstrated that cetuximab (Erbitux) as a single agent significantly improved overall survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) refractory to approved chemotherapy agents.

Erlotinib (Tarceva) is a human epidermal growth factor receptor type 1/epidermal growth factor receptor (HER1/EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor initially approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer after failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen. In this report, we present the pivotal study that led to the approval of erlotinib in combination with gemcitabine (Gemzar) in patients with locally advanced/metastatic chemonaive pancreatic cancer patients. The combination demonstrated a statistically significant increase in overall survival accompanied by an increase in toxicity. Physicians and patients now have a new option for the treatment of locally advanced/metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Erlotinib (Tarceva) is a human epidermal growth factor receptor type 1/epidermal growth factor receptor (HER1/EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor initially approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer after failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen. In this report, we present the pivotal study that led to the approval of erlotinib in combination with gemcitabine (Gemzar) in patients with locally advanced/metastatic chemonaive pancreatic cancer patients. The combination demonstrated a statistically significant increase in overall survival accompanied by an increase in toxicity. Physicians and patients now have a new option for the treatment of locally advanced/metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an expanded clearance for the CellSearch System to be used as an aid in the monitoring of metastatic colorectal cancer

Inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a dilemma that oncologists frequently encounter. Only 15% to 20% of patients are diagnosed when cancer of the pancreas is still surgically resectable. However, pancreaticoduodenectomy is the only curative option for this disease and should be offered to all patients who meet resection criteria and do not have significant comorbidities. For inoperable pancreatic cancer, the goals of treatment are to palliate symptoms and prolong life. Improved survival in locally advanced disease has been demonstrated with chemoradiation plus fluorouracil or with gemcitabine (Gemzar) alone. In metastatic disease, single-agent gemcitabine has been associated with improvement in symptoms and survival. Trials combining various chemotherapeutic agents with gemcitabine have not had a significant impact on overall survival, although meta-analyses suggest a small benefit. The targeted agent erlotinib (Tarceva) has shown a modest improvement in overall survival in combination with gemcitabine. This combination is another option for first-line therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Despite these recent advances, survival for patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer continues to be poor. Future investigations need to focus on understanding the molecular nature of this malignancy, with the goal of developing interventions based on this knowledge.

Inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a dilemma that oncologists frequently encounter. Only 15% to 20% of patients are diagnosed when cancer of the pancreas is still surgically resectable. However, pancreaticoduodenectomy is the only curative option for this disease and should be offered to all patients who meet resection criteria and do not have significant comorbidities. For inoperable pancreatic cancer, the goals of treatment are to palliate symptoms and prolong life. Improved survival in locally advanced disease has been demonstrated with chemoradiation plus fluorouracil or with gemcitabine (Gemzar) alone. In metastatic disease, single-agent gemcitabine has been associated with improvement in symptoms and survival. Trials combining various chemotherapeutic agents with gemcitabine have not had a significant impact on overall survival, although meta-analyses suggest a small benefit. The targeted agent erlotinib (Tarceva) has shown a modest improvement in overall survival in combination with gemcitabine. This combination is another option for first-line therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Despite these recent advances, survival for patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer continues to be poor. Future investigations need to focus on understanding the molecular nature of this malignancy, with the goal of developing interventions based on this knowledge.

Inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a dilemma that oncologists frequently encounter. Only 15% to 20% of patients are diagnosed when cancer of the pancreas is still surgically resectable. However, pancreaticoduodenectomy is the only curative option for this disease and should be offered to all patients who meet resection criteria and do not have significant comorbidities. For inoperable pancreatic cancer, the goals of treatment are to palliate symptoms and prolong life. Improved survival in locally advanced disease has been demonstrated with chemoradiation plus fluorouracil or with gemcitabine (Gemzar) alone. In metastatic disease, single-agent gemcitabine has been associated with improvement in symptoms and survival. Trials combining various chemotherapeutic agents with gemcitabine have not had a significant impact on overall survival, although meta-analyses suggest a small benefit. The targeted agent erlotinib (Tarceva) has shown a modest improvement in overall survival in combination with gemcitabine. This combination is another option for first-line therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Despite these recent advances, survival for patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer continues to be poor. Future investigations need to focus on understanding the molecular nature of this malignancy, with the goal of developing interventions based on this knowledge.

Bayer HealthCare and Onyx Pharmaceuticals (Emeryville, California) have halted the phase III Asia-Pacific liver cancer study after a planned review by an independent data monitoring committee found that sorafenib (Nexavar) tablets significantly improved overall survival, progression-free survival, and time to progression in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

In a prospective case-control study, individuals in the lowest quartile of circulating insulin-like growth factor binding protein -1 (IGFBP-1) had a twofold greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those in the three highest quartiles

New animal studies show that the loss of two hormones plays a significant role in the development of colon cancer. If confirmed, the discovery "converts colon cancer from a genetic disease, which is the way we've all thought about it, to a disease of hormone insufficiency,"

An experimental gene therapy targeting pancreatic cancer reduced or eradicated tumors, inhibited metastasis, and prolonged survival in experiments in two mouse models, and did so with very limited toxicity.

This photograph is from an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy on a 15-year-old male. He has a history of a total colectomy and is being evaluated for iron deficiency anemia. He denies abdominal pain, weight loss, and melena. He notes occasional bright red blood on the toilet paper but denies hematochezia.

Delivery of chemotherapy to hepatic artery branches that only or mainly feed a tumor—so-called superselective chemoembolization and chemoinfusion—yields favorable outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

Amgen is currently enrolling patients in a phase III study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of panitumumab (Vectibix) in combination with chemotherapy (FOLFIRI)