Aspirin for Every Patient with Metastatic Colon Cancer?

A recent study suggested that patients with colon cancer lived longer when taking aspirin.

Aspirin is a very interesting drug which has showed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and colon cancer risk and is a great pain reliever. The mechanism of action is the inhibition of an enzyme called COX-2. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on August 31st, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 3 Comments »
Tags: aspirin, chemoprevention, survival, Treating Colorectal Cancer

What is the Best Treatment in the Neoadjuvant Setting for Rectal Cancer?

At ASCO a number of studies showed the efficacy data of combining 5-FU or Xeloda with oxaliplatin in combination with radiation therapy in patients with rectal cancer. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on June 30th, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 5 Comments »
Tags: chemoradiation, rectal cancer, Treating Colorectal Cancer

Avastin in Stage II and III Colon Cancer

In the plenary session at ASCO this year there was a presentation of a large NASBP trial which tested whether the addition of Avastin® (bevacizumab) to 6 months of FOLFOX would decrease tumor recurrence.

The data suggested that there was no benefit with the addition of Avastin, which was given not only for 6 months along with chemotherapy but 6 months in addition to FOLFOX for a total of 12 months. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on June 7th, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 5 Comments »
Tags: adjuvant chemotherapy, ASCO 2009, Avastin, Treating Colorectal Cancer

Can We Take A Chemoholiday?

In my practice, almost every day patients ask me how long we continue doing chemotherapy?  These are patients with metastatic disease who think that chemotherapy is only given for a very specific time.

I often ask them if they had diabetes or hypertension how long would they expect to take medication for that disease, and there is no hesitation answering that you take it for a long time, if not forever. So I try to explain that we give chemotherapy as long it works and is tolerated. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on May 1st, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 6 Comments »
Tags: chemoholiday, metastatic colorectal cancer, Treating Colorectal Cancer

News Update: Avastin Did Not Improve Efficacy of FOLFOX in the Adjuvant Setting

A news release from last Wednesday stated that the clinical trial of NSABP C-08 was negative.

This was the clinical trial testing whether the addition of Avastin to FOLFOX would increase efficacy in reducing recurrence for patients with stage II and III colon cancer.  FOLFOX was given over 6 months compared to FOLFOX in combination with Avastin for 6 months, followed by additional 6 months of Avastin. There was a great hope that this anti-VEGF therapy would further decrease tumor recurrence. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on April 28th, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | 11 Comments »
Tags: Avastin, C-08, personalized medicine, Treating Colorectal Cancer