ASCO Research Highlights: Rectal and Anal Cancer

Researchers tried to push the envelope in treating rectal and anal cancer by adding new or different chemotherapy to standard chemoradiotherapy.  However, two trials in rectal cancer and one in anal cancer were not able to improve complete response rates for chemoradiation.  Adding extra chemotherapy after radiation was finished didn’t improve relapse-free survival for anal cancer either. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on June 13th, 2009
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Tags: anal cancer, chemoradiation, rectal cancer

Rectal Tumor Regression After Presurgical Chemoradiation Predicts Survival

The more tumors shrink during chemotherapy and radiation before rectal cancer surgery, the better the chance that patients will survive and be cancer-free five years later.

Doctors in Ireland developed a simple, three point, tumor regression grade or TRG, to measure the amount of change during chemoradiotherapy before surgery to remove rectal cancer.  After five years, all patients with the best tumor regression grade — complete or near complete response to chemoradiation — were alive and disease-free. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 4th, 2009
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Tags: chemoradiation, rectal cancer

Response to Radiation Treatment Before Surgery Improves Rectal Cancer Survival

Patients whose tumors shrink in response to radiation therapy before surgery for rectal cancer have both improved overall survival and improved disease-free survival.  However, even patients who responded to presurgical radiation did not reach survival rates for stage I rectal cancer patients treated with surgery alone. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on February 17th, 2009
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Tags: radiotherapy, rectal cancer

How to Treat Rectal Cancer after Surgery? A Clinical Trial

Focus on Clinical Trials

Can adding Avastin® (bevacizumab) to FOLFOX therapy after surgery and presurgical chemoradiotherapy reduce recurrence and improve survival for patients with rectal cancer?

A clinical trial to answer this question is underway and is looking for participants.  Led by a team of researchers from several clinical trials cooperative groups, the E5204 study randomly assigns patients who have already completed a course of chemoradiotherapy and had their rectal cancer removed surgically to either FOLFOX or FOLFOX plus Avastin. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on February 2nd, 2009
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Tags: clinical trials, rectal cancer

Incidence of Rectal Cancer Increasing in Patients under Forty

Update from the 2009 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium

Incidence of rectal cancer in younger patients is increasing, although there is no similar pattern with colon cancer or in older rectal cancer patients.  The reason for the trend is unclear.

First observed in a single cancer center, the trend toward more rectal cancer in patients under forty was confirmed in review of the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on January 20th, 2009
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Tags: rectal cancer, young patients