IOncology

The BREAKWATER phase 3 trial, published in Nature Medicine, has demonstrated that encorafenib plus cetuximab (EC) with mFOLFOX6 significantly improves objective response rates compared to standard chemotherapy in BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The study reports a confirmed objective response rate of 60.9% with EC+mFOLFOX6 compared to 40.0% with standard chemotherapy, with a median duration of response of 13.9 months versus 11.1 months. The interim analysis of overall survival shows a hazard ratio of 0.47, suggesting a clear survival benefit for EC+mFOLFOX6.

A new study published in Cancer Cell, provides key insights into the role of the interferon-high (IFN-high) immunophenotype in predicting response to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in colorectal cancer (CRC). By analyzing tumor microenvironment features, the study identifies a subset of both mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) and mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) CRCs that exhibit an IFN-high profile, marked by cytotoxic T cells and antigen-presenting macrophages.

The IMPROVE trial, a phase II study investigating intermittent versus continuous panitumumab plus FOLFIRI in patients with RAS/BRAF wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), has provided key insights into optimizing first-line treatment strategies.

Recent research led by Professor Julien Taieb and colleagues provides significant advancements in the prognostic assessment of stage III colon cancer by integrating circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and Immunoscore (IS). This post hoc analysis of the PRODIGE-GERCOR IDEA-France and HORG-IDEA-Greece trials demonstrates that ctDNA serves as an independent prognostic marker, while IS provides additional stratification, particularly in ctDNA-negative patients.

A groundbreaking study published in JCO introduces novel prognostic models leveraging transcriptomic signatures of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cell cycle to enhance risk stratification in stage III colon cancer. Using data from the PETACC-8 and IDEA-France trials, researchers identified key markers, including T-cell and macrophage M2 signatures, CXCL13 expression, and an Oncotype-like recurrence score.

Professor Florian Lordick played a key role in the ESOPEC trial, a landmark phase 3, multicenter, randomized study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. This trial directly compared perioperative chemotherapy with FLOT (fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel) to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (carboplatin, paclitaxel, and radiotherapy) in patients with resectable esophageal adenocarcinoma, aiming to determine the optimal multimodal treatment approach.

A panel of 47 North American experts has developed 82 consensus best practices for delivering neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, using a modified Delphi process to standardize and optimize care. This effort aims to improve treatment approaches, reduce variability in care, and enhance patient outcomes. The study outlines best practices across the entire neoadjuvant therapy continuum, including pre-treatment evaluation, therapy initiation, restaging protocols, management of complications, surgical decision-making, pathology assessment, and follow-up. These guidelines establish a comprehensive framework for delivering neoadjuvant therapy in a way that ensures consistency across multiple disciplines, including oncology, radiology, surgery, pathology, and supportive care.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Breast Cancer provide essential recommendations for managing carcinoma in situ, invasive breast cancer, Paget’s disease, Phyllodes tumor, inflammatory breast cancer,…

In December 2024 a publication in the Annals of Surgical Oncology analyzed data from the National Cancer Database, showing that HER2 IHC3+ patients had significantly higher pathologic complete response (pCR)…

In the pursuit of improving outcomes for patients with refractory microsatellite-stable metastatic colorectal cancer (MSS mCRC), Dr. Filippo Pietrantonio has made significant contributions through groundbreaking research exploring the potential of combining vorbipiprant, a prostaglandin EP4 antagonist, with PD-1 blockade therapy.