Higher Responses in Metastatic Colon Ca When Cetuximab Added to Chemo

Publication
Article
Oncology NEWS InternationalOncology NEWS International Vol 15 No 8
Volume 15
Issue 8

In a phase III study, patients with untreated metastatic colon cancer had significantly higher response rates when cetuximab (Erbitux) was added to their chemotherapy, compared with chemotherapy alone (FOLFIRI or FOLFOX)

ASCO — In a phase III study, patients with untreated metastatic colon cancer had significantly higher response rates when cetuximab (Erbitux) was added to their chemotherapy, compared with chemotherapy alone (FOLFIRI or FOLFOX), Alan Venook, MD, said at the ASCO 42nd Annual Meeting (abstract 3509). Dr. Venook, of the University of California, San Francisco, reported the results on behalf of CALGB. Response rates were 52% for cetuximab/chemotherapy vs 38% for chemotherapy alone (P = .029). The study, CALGB 80203, enrolled 238 patients before it was stopped due to the emergence of beva-cizumab (Avastin) as a component of therapy in this setting. Thus, the study is not powered for statistical analysis of progression-free and overall survival. An ongoing NCI-sponsored trial, CALGB/SWOG 80405, for which Dr. Venook is also PI, is designed to determine whether the addition of cetuximab to chemotherapy or to chemotherapy plus bevacizumab prolongs survival, compared to chemotherapy with bevacizumab, in patients with untreated, advanced, or metastatic colorectal cancer. The trial has a planned enrollment of 2,289.

Related Videos
Treatment options in the refractory setting must improve for patients with resected colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis, says Muhammad Talha Waheed, MD.
Arvind N. Dasari, MD, MS, an expert on colorectal cancer
Stacey Cohen, MD, an expert on colorectal cancer
Arvind N. Dasari, MD, MS, an expert on colorectal cancer
A panel of 5 experts on colorectal cancer
Aparna Parikh, MD, an expert on colorectal cancer
Stacey Cohen, MD, an expert on colorectal cancer
A panel of 5 experts on colorectal cancer
A panel of 5 experts on colorectal cancer
Michael Foote, MD, an expert on colorectal cancer
Related Content