Latest News & Updates

No Benefit Adding Cetuximab to Chemo for Stage III Colon Cancer

Adding Erbitux® (cetuximab) to standard chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer didn’t improve patient outcomes and added more side effects.

All of the patients in the NO147 trial had cancer that had spread to their lymph nodes and had surgery before beginning chemotherapy. They had normal or wild-type KRAS genes in their tumors.They were randomly assigned to FOLFOX chemotherapy for 6 months or FOLFOX plus Erbitux.

The trial was closed before the planned number of patients were enrolled because an analysis showed that there was no benefit to the additional Erbitux and continuing the trial would not help patients. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on June 10th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: cetuximab, clinical trials, Erbitux, stage III colon cancer

No Difference in Chemotherapy Benefits for Young Patients with Stage II and III Colon Cancer Compared to Those Fifty and Older

Young patients with stage II or III colon cancer get equal benefit from chemotherapy as older patients, and they have similar side effects.

Five years after treatment, 67 percent of patients under the age of fifty hadn’t had their cancer spread beyond the colon (recurrence-free interval), the same percentage that applied to patients who were fifty or over.

Overall survival and disease-free survival were somewhat better for young patients because they had fewer other reasons for dying. Overall and disease-free survival reflect patients who are alive five years after beginning treatment. Neither includes people who have died from any cause, including their cancer. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on June 10th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: stage II colon cancer, stage III colon cancer, survival, young patients

Young People with Advanced Colorectal Cancer Do As Well with Chemotherapy as Older Patients

Colondar Models Erika and Cathy

When colorectal cancer spreads to other parts of the body, young people under 50 who get chemotherapy benefit as much as those who are older.

With drug combinations, there is no difference between those under 50 and those who are 50 and older in responding to chemotherapy, how long it takes before cancer gets worse, or in survival time. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on June 10th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 2 Comments »
Tags: ASCO, metastatic colorectal cancer, young patients

Summer Issue of Momentum Now Available Online

The summer 2010 issue of C3′s printed newsletter Momentum is now available online.

Some headlines from this issue:

Palliative Care: Not Just for End of Life
Listening to the Little Voice
Patient to Patient Advice for Caregivers
Health Care Reform & Cancer: Your Implementation Guide

You’ll also read testimonials from advocates who attended the C3 Call-on Congress in March and learn about the young, innovative researcher who is looking into new treatments for late stage colorectal cancer, thanks to a grant from C3.

To receive Momentum free at home, sign up at the C3 Action Center.

Posted by Carlea Bauman on June 9th, 2010
Posted in: C3 News, Policy & Advocacy News, Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: Call-on Congress, caregivers, Health Care Reform, Momentum, palliative care