Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality in both Europe and the United States. Treatment for patients with resectable hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer consists of surgery combined with chemotherapy, but recurrence is observed in two thirds of these patients. In order to improve the outcome for these patients, EORTC trial 40091 - BOS 2 will test the efficacy of adding bevacizumab or panitumumab to the standard treatment, peri-operative FOLFOX 4 chemotherapy.
Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody which targets the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and blocking VEGF could deprive the cancer of required nutrients. Panitumumab targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR gene expression is upregulated in approximately 60 to 80% of CRC cases, and this has been linked to poor survival.
Dr. Bernard Nordlinger, CHU Ambroise Pare AP-HP, Boulogne-Billancourt and Coordinator of this study, says "The objective of this trial is to determine a new standard of care for these patients." The randomized phase 2 EORTC trial will investigate if treatment with perioperative modified FOLFOX6 plus either bevacizumab or panitumumab improves progression-free survival and pathological response in patients with up to eight resectable liver metastases resulting from wild type KRAS CRC as compared to treatment with perioperative modified FOLFOX 6 alone.
Research finds no change in mortality despite platinum chemotherapy shortage