(Press-News.org) FINDINGS
A study led by UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers found that using a combination of experimental immunotherapy drugs with chemotherapy significantly improves progression-free survival and overall survival for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have previously undergone standard chemotherapy treatment when compared to those who received the targeted therapy regorafenib alone.
The median progression-free survival, which is the amount of time during and after treatment when the cancer does not worsen or progress, with the combination treatment was 6.2 months compared to 2.1 months for those in the targeted therapy only group.
The median overall survival with the combination treatment was 19.7 months as compared to 9.5 months for those in the targeted therapy only group.
The results of the study also showed treatment with the novel combination therapy either partially or completely shrank tumors in 17.3% of patients. For patients on regorafenib only, 2.7% had tumor shrinkage.
BACKGROUND
When colorectal cancer starts to spread to other parts of the body, it can be more challenging to treat and often requires a combination of therapies, including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapy. While these advancements in treatment options have improved outcomes for many patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, it still remains a significant health issue. Conventional treatments often become ineffective as the disease progresses, requiring the development of innovative therapeutic approaches.
METHOD
This group of investigators looked at evaluating the efficacy of a novel treatment combination, called EZFB, which consists of etrumadenant (E), a dual A2a/A2b adenosine receptor antagonist, zimberelimab (Z), an immune checkpoint inhibitor, and a chemotherapy regimen (FB: mFOLFOX-6 ± bevacizumab), to see if it could improve outcomes for people who were previously treated for this aggressive form of cancer.
The team enrolled 112 participants with metastatic colorectal cancer who had previously undergone treatment with oxaliplatin and irinotecan-containing regimens in the Phase Ib/II trial. The patients were randomized into two groups: 75 receiving the EZFB combination and 37 receiving regorafenib alone.
IMPACT
The study's findings underscore the potential of combining immune-targeted therapy with traditional chemotherapy to better control the spread of the cancer and enhance the effectiveness of the treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer.
"The improvement in both progression-free survival and overall survival observed with the EZFB combination represents a significant advancement in the management of refractory metastatic colorectal cancer,” said first author of the abstract Dr. Zev Wainberg, co-director of the UCLA Health GI Oncology Program and researcher at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “These results pave the way for further exploration of this promising treatment approach."
AUTHORS
The abstract’s senior author is Michael Cecchini from Yale University School of Medicine. Other authors are Sae-Won Han, Soohyeon Lee, Keun-Wook Lee, Scott Kopetz, Jonathan Mizrahi, Yong Sang Hong, François Ghiringhelli, Antoine Italiano, David Tougeron, Brandon Beagle, Mathew Boakye, Tingting Zhao, Joon Rhee and Dimitry Nuyten.
SESSION
Wainberg will present the findings (Abstract 3508) at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting on Sunday, June 2 during the Oral Abstract Session of the Gastrointestinal Cancer—Colorectal and Anal Track from 8 to 11am CT.
The study was sponsored by Arcus Biosciences.
END
ASCO: Combination therapy significantly improves outcomes for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer
Combining immune-targeted therapy with chemotherapy improves both progression-free survival and overall survival when compared to those who received regorafenib alone
2024-05-24
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Euclid space mission releases first scientific results and new images of the cosmos
2024-05-24
European space mission Euclid has released early scientific papers based on observations made by the space telescope, along with five new astronomical images of the Universe, as the project sets about unravelling the secrets of the cosmos.
The new images are part of Euclid’s Early Release Observations (EROs) and accompany the mission’s first scientific data and 10 forthcoming science papers. Their publication comes less than a year after the space telescope’s launch and some six months after it returned its first full-colour ...
Sociodemographic heterogeneity in the associations of social isolation with mortality
2024-05-24
About The Study: Social isolation was associated with increased risks of all-cause, cardiovascular diseases, and malignant neoplasm mortality, with associations varying across populations. This study fills an important gap in research on social isolation, emphasizing its varied associations across demographic and socioeconomic groups.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Atsushi Nakagomi, M.D., Ph.D., email anakagomi0211@gmail.com.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.13132)
Editor’s Note: Please ...
COVID-19 admission rates and changes in care quality in us hospitals
2024-05-24
About The Study: In this cross-sectional study, COVID-19 surges were associated with declines in hospital quality, highlighting the importance of identifying and implementing strategies to maintain care quality during periods of high hospital use.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Giacomo Meille, Ph.D., email giacomo.meille@ahrq.hhs.gov.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.13127)
Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, ...
Preterm and early-term delivery after heat waves in 50 US metropolitan areas
2024-05-24
About The Study: Preterm and early-term birth rates increased after heat waves, particularly among socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups in this cohort study. Extreme heat events have implications for perinatal health.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Lyndsey A. Darrow, Ph.D., email ldarrow@unr.edu.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12055)
Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and ...
Research spotlight: Virtual scribes reduced physicians’ time spent on electronic health records
2024-05-24
Lisa Rotenstein, MD, of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is the lead author of a new study published in JAMA Network Open, “Virtual Scribes and Physician Time Spent on Electronic Health Records.”
What question were you investigating?
We sought to understand the impact of virtual scribes (human scribes who are not physically present in the exam room with the physician and patient) on how physicians spend their time and which characteristics are associated with physicians responding best to scribes.
What methods or approach did you use?
We studied the experiences of 144 physicians across specialties treating patients ...
Duke-NUS researchers develop new light-controlled ‘off switch’ for brain cells
2024-05-24
Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School have found that a new class of light-sensitive proteins are capable of turning off brain cells with light, offering scientists an unprecedentedly effective tool to investigate brain function. The study, recently published in Nature Communications, opens exciting new opportunities to apply optogenetics to investigate the brain activity underlying neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and depression.
Optogenetics is a technique where specific cells are bioengineered to include light-sensitive proteins that act as switches, allowing ...
Liver lesions at risk of transformation into hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients
2024-05-24
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant global health burden as one of the most common malignancies in individuals with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis. This malignancy evolves through a multistep process, beginning with dysplastic nodules (DNs) and early HCC, progressing to overt HCC. Recent advancements in liver imaging, particularly the use of hepatocyte-specific contrast agents, have enhanced the detection of these precursor lesions, known as borderline hepatic nodules. These nodules, especially those hypointense in the hepatobiliary phase (HBP) without arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE), present ...
Update on the STING signaling pathway in developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
2024-05-24
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent chronic liver condition worldwide, affecting about 25% of the global population due to the increasing rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of liver conditions ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite its prevalence, there are limited effective treatment options available. Inflammation driven by metabolic disturbances is a key factor in the development and progression of ...
Autonomous medical intervention extends ‘golden hour’ for traumatic injuries with emergency air transport
2024-05-24
For the first time, a closed loop, autonomous intervention nearly quadrupled the “golden hour” during which surgeons could save the life of a large animal with internal traumatic bleeding while in emergency ground and air transport.
This breakthrough in trauma care, announced today in Intensive Care Medicine Experimental by physician-scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, has enormous potential for saving the lives of traumatically injured ...
More than spins: Exploring uncharted territory in quantum devices
2024-05-24
Many of today’s quantum devices rely on collections of qubits, also called spins. These quantum bits have only two energy levels, the ‘0’ and the ‘1’. However, spins in real devices also interact with light and vibrations known as bosons, greatly complicating calculations. In a new publication in Physical Review Letters, researchers in Amsterdam demonstrate a way to describe spin-boson systems and use this to efficiently configure quantum devices in a desired state.
Quantum devices use the quirky behaviour of quantum ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
For bees, diet isn’t one-size-fits-all
How a malaria-fighting breakthrough provides lasting protection
Cognitive Behavioural therapy can alter brain structure and boost grey matter volume, study shows
Largest ever study into cannabis use investigates risk of paranoia and poor mental health in the general population
Most US neurologists prescribing MS drugs have received pharma industry cash
A growing baby planet photographed for first time in a ring of darkness
Brain’s immune cells key to wiring the adolescent brain
KAIST develops AI that automatically detects defects in smart factory manufacturing processes even when conditions change
Research alert: Alcohol opens the floodgates for bad bacteria
American Gastroenterological Association, Latica partner to assess living guidelines using real-world evidence
University of Tennessee collaborates on NSF grants to improve outcomes through AI
New technique at HonorHealth Research Institute uses ultrasound to activate drugs targeting pancreatic cancer
Companies 'dumbed down' cryptocurrency disclosures in good markets prior to reporting standardization, Rotman research finds
MSU study: What defines a life well-lived? Obituaries may have the answers.
Wind isn’t the only threat: USF-led scientists urge shift to more informed hurricane scale
Study: Fossils reveal reliable record of marine ecosystem functioning
New Simon Fraser University–University of Exeter partnership fast-tracks path to become a lawyer
Busy bees can build the right hive from tricky foundations
Deep sea worm fights ‘poison with poison’ to survive high arsenic and sulfide levels
New monthly pill shows potential as pre-exposure prophylaxis HIV drug candidate
Estalishing power through divine portrayal and depictions of violence
Planetary scientist decodes clues in Bennu’s surface composition to make sense of far-flung asteroids
For students with severe attention difficulties, changing school shifts is not the solution
Novel virtual care program enhances at-home support for people with heart failure
Giving mRNA vaccines a technological shot in the arm
Study IDs what can help collaborative groups actually accomplish their goals
Simpler models can outperform deep learning at climate prediction
Expert on catfishes publishes updated volume on catfish biology and evolution
Inaugural editorial: the Energy and Environment Nexus
As World Alzheimer’s Month approaches, supporting personhood for family members with dementia is key
[Press-News.org] ASCO: Combination therapy significantly improves outcomes for patients with metastatic colorectal cancerCombining immune-targeted therapy with chemotherapy improves both progression-free survival and overall survival when compared to those who received regorafenib alone