Gastrointestinal Cancer

Circulating tumor DNA analysis is playing an increasingly important role in colorectal cancer treatment decision-making.

The median disease-free survival with GVAX vaccine plus low-dose cyclophosphamide; GVAX plus cyclophosphamide and nivolumab; and GVAX plus cyclophosphamide, nivolumab, and urelumab, was 13.90 months, 26.1 months, and 31.6 months, respectively.

The FDA has approved the therascreen PDGFRA kit to identify patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors who may benefit from treatment with avapritinib.

Magnetic resonance-based imaging alone was 40% accurate in positively predicting pathologic complete response in patients with rectal adenocarcinoma undergoing total neoadjuvant therapy.

A triplet regimen of trifluridine, tipiracil, and bevacizumab has been approved as a treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who received rivoceranib/camrelizumab achieved a median progression-free survival of 5.6 months vs 3.7 months with sorafenib.

Trastuzumab deruxtecan elicited a confirmed objective response rate of 42% in patients with HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer, according to findings from the phase 2 DESTINY-Gastric02 trial.

By 3 months postsurgery, most older patients with colon or rectal cancer had achieved functional recovery.

The FDA has granted priority review to the biologics license application for zolbetuximab as a treatment for patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

The median overall survival with intra-arterial gemcitabine was 15.7 months vs 10.1 months with intravenous gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

Tucatinib was first approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with HER2-positive advanced unresectable or metastatic breast cancer in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine on April 17, 2020.

Mitazalimab and modified FOLFIRINOX produced a 57% objective response rate among patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in the frontline setting.

FOLFOX was associated with lower rates or diarrhea and bowel dysfunction, but higher rates of fatigue, anxiety, nausea, and neuropathy, in data from the phase 2/3 PROSPECT trial.

The FDA has launched a priority review of fruquintinib as treatment for adult patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer.

Adverse experiences, such as smoking and experiencing physical abuse, do not necessarily decrease the frequency of colorectal cancer screenings.

Patients with HER2-positive, metastatic colorectal cancer derived clinical benefit from a 5.4 mg/kg dose of trastuzumab deruxtecan.

In the phase 2 DESTINY-PanTumor02 trial, trastuzumab deruxtecan elicited clinical activity across a range of HER2 expressing solid tumors.

Preoperative FOLFOX demonstrated noninferior efficacy outcomes vs preoperative chemoradiation in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Tremelimumab plus durvalumab (STRIDE) showed a manageable immune-related adverse event profile in the phase 3 HIMALAYA trial.

Manufacturers believe that GEN-002/avelumab holds promise as a third-line option for patients with gastric cancer and PD-L1 expression.

Patients with pancreatic and gastric cancers residing in states with expanded Medicaid had improved survival rates.

Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy was a safe and effective alternative compared with open distal pancreatectomy in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

Treatment with encorafenib in combination with cetuximab and binimetinib was active with a manageable safety profile in the first-line setting for patients with BRAF V600E–mutated metastatic colorectal cancer.

Single-agent adagrasib demonstrated a manageable safety profile and meaningful clinical activity in patients with KRAS G12C–mutated solid tumors.

Kathleen Gander DNP, APRN, CNS; and Sarah Middlekauff, MSN, RN, OCN, relay their experiences in implementing a hepatic artery infusion pump educational intervention for oncology nurses.