In a nutshell This study compared weak opioids and low-dose morphine in providing pain relief for moderate cancer pain. Researchers concluded that low-dose morphine is more suitable as pain management for moderate cancer pain than weaker pain relievers. Some background The guidelines for cancer pain relief developed by the World Health...
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In a nutshell This study investigated how oxaliplatin chemotherapy causes liver damage. The authors provided insight into the mechanism of liver injury, and suggest that bevacizumab (Avastin) may protect against such injury. Some background Oxaliplatin is a chemotherapeutic drug which is commonly used to treat advanced colorectal cancer (CRC)....
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether the levels of certain proteins could be used to predict response to treatment with bevacizumab or chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer which has spread beyond the original tumor site. Three proteins were identified as potential biomarkers. Some background In as much as 50% of patients...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the treatment of progressive therapy-resistant colorectal cancer with panitumumab (Vectibix). It was found that panitumumab was a safe and effective treatment for CRC patients who had progressed despite treatment. Some background Chemotherapy is generally the first treatment option for colorectal...
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In a nutshell This study investigated which types of immune cells are more active in fighting colorectal cancer which has spread to the liver. It was found that T cells are the most active. Some background It is thought that the immune system response to colorectal cancer (CRC) is an important factor in determining whether the disease progresses...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether retreatment with cetuximab (Erbitux) was effective in patients whose cancer had progressed after treatment with cetuximab or panitumumab (Vectibix). The results showed that retreatment was effective in patients who had responded to previous treatment. Some background Colorectal cancer progresses...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether certain markers were associated with local recurrence or survival post-surgery in early stage colorectal cancer patients. This trial determined that certain factors were associated with a higher risk of local recurrence (including male gender and current alcohol use) and surivival times (including age of...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether age influenced the effectiveness and safety of radioembolization in patients with colorectal cancer which had spread to the liver. Some background There is a lack of research on treatment options for elderly colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Elderly patients in the U.S. and Europe are 70-90%...
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In a nutshell This review analyzed the effectiveness of combined surgery and chemotherapy for colorectal cancer which has spread to the wall of the abdomen. Some background Many colorectal cancer patients are diagnosed after the cancer has already spread. Cancer that has spread to the peritoneum (the abdominal wall) is termed “colorectal...
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In a nutshell This trial investigated the effectiveness and safety of a combination treatment for colorectal cancer resistant to chemotherapy. Some background Cancer evolves as it progresses in patients. Sometimes, this leads to resistance to treatment. In this case, the cancer is termed “refractory”. TAS-102 (Lonsurf) is a...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether age affected disease progression or survival rates in patients with late stage colorectal cancer. Some background The average age at diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is 72 years. 28% of diagnoses are made in people aged over 80. Only 4.6% are made in those aged under 50. Younger CRC patients tend...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the efficacy of a potential prognostic marker for colorectal cancer. Some background For patients with colorectal cancer, identifying the stage of tumor growth and spread can give a rough indication of prognosis. However, there is no test to predict prognosis of patients on an individual basis....
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