ORLANDO-Researchers in Germany have found that in cases of advanced colorectal cancer that has metastasized to and destroyed more than 30% of the liver, surgical removal of the colorectal tumor does not benefit the patient. On the contrary, said Sandra Mitic, MD, “these seriously ill patients, who are soon to die anyway, are better off if surgeons perform the most limited procedure possible.” Dr. Mitic described the study in a poster presentation at the Digestive Disease Week meeting.
BETHESDA, Md-The National Cancer Institute has launched a double-blind study of thalidomide (Thalomid) to test its effectiveness in preventing colorectal cancer recurrence. The study will enroll 94 patients who will make their medical visits at the National Institutes of Health. Half will receive thalidomide, and half will get a placebo.
BETHESDA, Md-National Cancer Institute researchers have begun the first national study aimed at identifying barriers to screening for colorectal cancer. Investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Care Financing Administration are collaborating in the effort.
NOTTINGHAM, UK-In a phase III multinational study, UFT capsules (uracil/tegafur) in combination with leucovorin calcium tablets proved as effective as IV fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin, and much less toxic, when used as first-line treatment of metastatic colorec-tal cancer, James Carmichael, MD, of Nottingham City Hospital, UK, reported at the 35th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Atlanta. [The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee has recommended that UFT capsules plus oral leucovorin be approved for advanced colorectal cancer; a complete report will appear next month.]
WASHINGTON-Rats with chemically induced colon cancer that were fed orange juice for 4 weeks had a significantly lower incidence of colon cancer tumors than those receiving water, in a study at Michigan State University, East Lansing. Maurice R. Bennink, PhD, professor of food science and human nutrition, presented the results at the American Institute for Cancer Research 9th Annual Research Conference.
Both gastric and pancreatic cancer remain leading causes of cancer death in the United States and worldwide. While surgical resection continues to be required for long-term cure of both these neoplasms, 5-year survival
NEW YORK-An innovative clinical trial to be conducted at Columbia University is now recruiting patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The patients will test the effectiveness of the “Gonzalez regimen,” which combines a strict diet of fresh fruits, vegetable juices, dietary supplements, and pancreatic enzyme extracts with a “detoxification” program. John Chabot, MD, a surgical oncologist at Columbia, is the principal investigator.
An innovative clinical trial to be conducted at ColumbiaUniversity in New York City for people diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer is now recruiting patients. The volunteer patients will test the effectiveness of what is called “the Gonzalez
PHILADELPHIA-Results of a phase I/II study showed that Virulizin, an investigational monocyte and macrophage activator, has clinical activity in treating advanced pancreatic cancer comparable to that of gemcitabine (Gemzar) and with a “much better” safety profile, Changnian Liu, MD, PhD, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
A treatment for patients with advanced colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver has been found to increase life expectancy, said Dr. Nancy Kemeny, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. This treatment combines
ORLANDO-The delivery of neurolytic chemicals to the celiac plexus, guided by endoscopic ultrasound, has been shown to be an effective, convenient, and safe technique to provide pain relief for pancreatic cancer patients.
An innovative clinical trial to be conducted at Columbia University in New York City forpeople diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer is now recruiting patients. The volunteer patients will test the effectiveness of what is called “the Gonzalez
NEW YORK-An innovative clinical trial to be conducted at Columbia University is now recruiting patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The patients will test the effectiveness of the “Gonzalez regimen,” which combines a strict diet of fresh fruits, vegetable juices, dietary supplements, and pancreatic enzyme extracts with a “detoxification” program. John Chabot, MD, a surgical oncologist at Columbia, is the principal investigator.
ORLANDO-Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Registry have identified what they believe is a previously unrecognized hereditary cancer syndrome. Patients with this syndrome, a variant of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), exhibit cafe au lait spots and develop their malignancies at a much earlier age than do other HNPCC patients.
BETHESDA, Md-Enrollment has begun in a randomized phase III trial to test two promising new drugs, irinotecan (Camptosar), also known as CPT-11, and oxaliplatin (an experimental platinum), as initial therapy for advanced colorectal cancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) expects that all of the more than 500 centers in the United States and Canada participating in the study will be enrolling patients by summer’s end.
BALTIMORE-A series of colon cancer case studies presented at a meeting on clinical cancer genetics at Johns Hopkins University illustrated the complexity, medical and otherwise, that accompanies genetic testing for cancer.
NEW YORK-An innovative clinical trial to be conducted at Columbia University is now recruiting patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The study will test the effectiveness of the “Gonzalez regimen,” which combines a strict diet of fresh fruits, vegetable juices, dietary supplements, and pancreatic enzyme extracts with a “detoxification” program. John Chabot, MD, a surgical oncologist at Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, is the principal investigator.
Protracted infusions of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) combined with pelvic radiotherapy have been associated with improved survival and decreased local and distant metastases in the adjuvant therapy of rectal cancer. However,
This phase I trial combining UFT plus oral calcium folinate (Orzel) with irinotecan (CPT-11) (Camptosar) for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer
Adjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to alter the natural history of resected colon cancer. Two regimens (5-fluorouracil [5-FU] plus calcium folinate and 5-FU plus levamisole [Ergamisol]) have been found to prolong
Although treatment with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus calcium folinate has been reported to prolong survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, it can also cause significant toxicity, potentially resulting in
This study was designed to determine if histopathologic evaluation of patients with resectable colorectal cancer following preoperative chemotherapy with uracil and tegafur with a molar ratio of 4:1 (UFT) could predict
A number of advances have been made in the use of adjuvant chemotherapy for resectable rectal cancer. Whereas pelvic radiation therapy has been shown to increase local control in patients with clinically resectable
ASCO-The addition of irinotecan, also known as CPT-11 (Camptosar), to standard first-line therapy significantly increased progression-free survival and antitumor response in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, according to the preliminary results of a randomized, open-label phase III trial presented at the 35th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Irinotecan is currently FDA approved for second-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.
Michael H. Levy, MD: This 38-year-old white male first came to his physician in January of 1993 complaining of epigastric and low back pain. In March of 1993, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that was metastatic to his
