Gastrointestinal Cancer

Two-thirds of patients with untreated metastatic HER2-positive esophagogastric adenocarcinoma remained free of disease progression at 6 months with a combination of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), trastuzumab (Herceptin), and chemotherapy, a small clinical trial showed.

Preliminary findings from the SLI phase of the BEACON CRC trial show tri-drug combo has durable response in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic CRC.

The FDA has approved cabozantinib (Cabometyx) to treat hepatocellular carcinoma in patients who previously received sorafenib (Nexavar).

A large pivotal phase III trial has been initiated to evaluate the potential for the first-line combination of cabozantinib (Cabometyx) and atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in comparison with standard-of-care sorafenib (Nexavar) for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Investigators are evaluating whether eryaspase (Graspa), an L-asparaginase-based therapy that triggers tumor cell death, can extend survival for patients with pancreatic cancer.

The FDA has granted pembrolizumab (Keytruda) an accelerated approval for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have previously received sorafenib (Nexavar), according to Merck, the manufacturer of the PD-1 inhibitor.

Trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI; Lonsurf) reduced the risk of death in patients with heavily pretreated gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer by 31% compared with placebo, according to data from the phase III TAGS trial.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Khapzory (levoleucovorin) injection, a folate analog for 3 indications.

Nurses can take part in turning the tide against the disease.

Ascertaining family history and promoting screening are key.

Experts call for liver disease patients to get screened for cancer every 6 months.

Regorafenib (Stivarga) maintained a prolonged overall survival (OS) benefit as second-line therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a 2-year updated analysis of key findings from the pivotal RESORCE trial.

Safety and efficacy findings for regorafenib (Stivarga) in patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) were consistent with previous phase III results, according to findings from the phase IIIb CONSIGN trial.

While patients may feel a sense of urgency in making a treatment decision, it’s important for patients to assess their own feelings about their goals for treatment.

Attempting to learn and process large amounts of complex information after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can leave anyone feeling lost. So where should you turn? Start with Patient Central.

Getting organized can help patients and their loved ones take control and better understand their options after a cancer diagnosis.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a supplemental new drug application for the multikinase inhibitor lenvatinib (Lenvima) for first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

The FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to a triplet combination regimen, which would expedite the development and review of the first treatment for BRAFV600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Significant weight loss, increased blood glucose levels, and older age at onset of diabetes may be useful in determining the risk of pancreatic cancer in people newly diagnosed with diabetes.

There are things oncology nurses can do to reduce their risk of gastric ulcers, and potentially, gastric cancer.

The FDA has granted a breakthrough therapy designation to atezolizumab (Tecentriq) for use in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin) as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

The addition of heated chemotherapy delivered to the abdomen during surgery delivered no survival benefit to patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, according to phase III study results presented at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting.

The FDA granted a priority review to pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an anti-PD-1 therapy, for the treatment of previously treated patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

In a major advance that set a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with resected pancreatic cancer, a modified FOLFIRINOX regimen (mFOLFIRINOX) dramatically improved survival compared with standard gemcitabine as postoperative therapy.

Patients with heavily pretreated metastatic or advanced gastric cancer who received TAS-102 (trifluridine/tipiracil; Lonsurf) saw a significant overall survival benefit, according to phase III study findings presented at the 2018 World Gastrointestinal Cancer Congress.

A recent Dutch study of patients with colon and rectal cancer who underwent surgery suggests that outcomes from emergency weekend surgeries may be worse compared with those who had surgery on weekdays.

The American Cancer Society recently updated its guidelines to lower the age to start colorectal cancer screening to 45. Nurses will play a vital role in implementing this important change.

This year, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) awarded 9 grants to 12 researchers at 11 institutions in the US, Canada, and France, totaling $4.2 million.

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance has opened its third annual survey of young-onset colorectal cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers, with the intent of learning about and tracking the medical and psycho-social experiences of this often overlooked group, which comprises 11 percent of colorectal cancer patients today.

CE lesson worth 1 contact hour that is intended to advanced practice nurses, registered nurses, and other healthcare professionals who care for patients with cancer.