Some of the most interesting data presented at ASCO was the data on MSI and 18qLOH in a European clinical trial.

Last year at ASCO, Dr. Daniel Sargent presented new data that patients with stage II disease with microsatellite instability do not only not benefit from 5-FU, but they may be harmed, and it was recommended to test for MSI in all stage II colon cancer patients and in the presence of MSI-high not to give 5-FU. For stage III colon cancer that was not the case.

This year, the PETACC-3 clinical trial was analyzed for MSI and did not show the same the same findings. It seems that chemotherapy does not harm these patients, and they may benefit. Read the rest of this entry »