Monthly Archives: May 2007

Alberto Sobrero

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT LB-2; AACR 2007, Los Angeles, Plenary Session
ALBERTO SOBRERO, Ospedale San Martino, Genoa
Cetuximab could become a mainstay of treatment for colorectal cancer along with fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, and bevacizumab, according to findings from the EPIC study presented at the AACR meeting in Los Angeles. 1,300 patients who had failed previous therapy with oxaliplatin were randomly assigned to receive irinotecan with or without cetuximab. The results point to a benefit of adding the molecular therapy, even though the effect was diluted because the protocol permitted crossover. Alberto Sobrero presented the data in Los Angeles, where he talked about it with Peter Goodwin.

Derek Jonker

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT LB-1, AACR 2007, Los Angeles: Plenary Session
DEREK JONKER, University of Ottawa
The molecularly targeted drug cetuximab has now proved capable of extending life when used as monotherapy among patients with refractory colorectal cancer. The CO17 phase III randomized trial of cetuximab versus best supportive care shows improvements in overall survival, progression-free survival, response rate, safety, and quality of life in a study with almost 600 patients who had metastatic colorectal cancer that had progressed despite all previous therapies. Derek Jonker told Karen Regester about their results with cetuximab monotherapy, which followed earlier promising work using the agent in combination with cytotoxic therapy.

Richard Goldberg

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT LB-1 and LB-2; AACR 2007, Los Angeles Plenary Session, Monday 16th April, 2006
RICHARD GOLDBERG, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Following the presentations from David Jonker and Alberto Sobrero at the AACR conference in Los Angeles, Richard Goldberg assessed the role of cetuximab in the treatment of metastatic, refractory colorectal cancer. He discussed the latest findings and his conclusions about their clinical implications with Peter Goodwin.