A randomized clinical trial previously showed better outcomes for people with advanced colorectal cancer who were treated with Vectibix® (panitumumab) than those who had the best supportive care. All patients in the trial had already had their cancer get worse during treatment with standard chemotherapy.
In a follow-up study, patients in the best supportive care arm of the study were allowed to cross over and receive treatment with Vectibix. When their cancer progressed, they began receiving Vectibix every two weeks.
Among the 176 patients who were part of the extension study, one had a complete response, 11 percent had partial responses, and 33 percent had stable disease. Median time before the cancer began to progress again once patients began Vectibix treatment was 9.4 weeks. Overall median survival was 6.3 months.
Skin rashes were the most common side effect. There were no infusion reactions.
Eric Van Cutsem, MD, Ph.D and the research team concluded,
These findings are comparable to those from the phase 3 study and support panitumumab monotherapy for chemorefractory colorectal cancer.
SOURCE: Van Cutsem et al, Annals of Oncology, published online September 4, 2007.
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