What’s ASCO? Why should I care? The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is an organisation representing physicians who specialise in the care and treatment of cancer patients. Approximately 30,000 visitors from around the world gather each year for the ASCO Annual Meeting to discuss recent advancements in the treatment of cancer. Visitors include...
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In a nutshell The authors discussed ways to prevent peritoneal metastasis (spreading of cancer to the lining of the abdomen) in patients with colorectal cancer. Some background Peritoneal metastasis is often treated with cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Cytoreductive surgery involves surgical...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether mutations (permanent change) in the KRAS gene can predict the development of lung metastases (spread of cancer to the lungs from the rectum or colon) in advanced colorectal cancer. Some background Colorectal tumors can have genetic mutations. One of the most common mutations is of the KRAS gene-an...
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In a nutshell This paper looks at the various research into treatment for colorectal cancer. Some background There are various proteins (large molecules) involved in the development of colorectal cancer. Drugs have been and are being developed to target these proteins and stop cancer from growing. Methods & findings Activation of...
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In a nutshell The authors examined whether eosinophils (white blood cells normally used to fight infections) levels in or around a colorectal tumor can help predict patient outcome. Some background Colorectal cancer is often classified using the tumor node metastasis system (TNM system). This system depends upon the assessment of primary...
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In a nutshell This study examined whether the protein HER3 is increased in colorectal tumors and in colorectal cancer liver metastases (cancer that has spread from the colon or rectum to the liver). Some background To improve colorectal cancer patients’ outcomes, anticancer treatments that target specific proteins are needed. High...
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In a nutshell This paper studied the safety and effectiveness of bevacizumab (Avastin) in colorectal cancer. Some background Bevacizumab is a drug that works by inhibiting growth of tumors. While studies have shown that bevacizumab is effective, some studies report an increased risk of high blood pressure, protein in urine and...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This paper studied the effectiveness and safety of a capecitabine (Xeloda) plus irinotecan (Campto) chemotherapy regimen (XELIRI) with bevacizumab (Avastin) in previously untreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body). Some background Standard treatment for patients...
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In a nutshell This study examined whether staging of rectal cancer before starting treatment is important in local excision. Some background Local excision is a surgical procedure that treats cancer in the rectum (end part of the intestine) by removing the tumor and some surrounding tissue. It is suggested that staging of patients could...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for patients with colorectal lung metastases (cancer that has spread from the colon or rectum to the lung). Some background Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. For up to 25% of patients the colon or rectal cancer will have spread to...
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In a nutshell The authors assessed the safety and efficacy of ramucirumab (Cyramza) for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (cancer that has spread from the colon or rectum to distant sites) that has progressed despite treatment. Some background Ramucirumab has recently been approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer....
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In a nutshell The authors examined the outcomes of rectal cancer patients after transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM). Some background Cancers are often described in terms of grades and stages. The T grades of rectal cancer describe how far the cancer has spread through the layers of the rectum. A T1 grade indicates that the cancer has grown...
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