Bowel cancer and GIST patients could benefit from novel oral drug

Two phase 3 trials, published in The Lancet, have shown that a novel oral drug called regorafenib could offer survival benefits to people with bowel (colorectal) cancer or gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) following failure of existing treatments. In one trial, led by Professor Eric Van Cutsem, at the University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium, and Professor Axel Grothey at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, researchers assessed the effect of regorafenib on patients with bowel cancer which was progressing after the patients had received all available standard therapies (classic chemotherapy, and other targeted agents). In another trial, researchers led by Professor George Demetri, at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA, examined the effect that regorafenib had on patients with GIST which was worsening, despite prior treatment with both imanitib and sunitinib. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Grothey A, et al. Regorafenib monotherapy for previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer (CORRECT): an international, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 22 November 2012.

Study mentioned: Demetri GD, et al. Efficacy and safety of regorafenib for advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumours after failure of imatinib and sunitinib (GRID): an international, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 22 November 2012.