Promising results from new colorectal cancer treatment

A new pill treatment called Divarasib has been shown to be highly effective in treating a difficult type of intestinal (colorectal) cancer associated with the KRAS G12C mutation.

research result, natural medicine Today (December 5), researchers showed remarkable results that when divarasib was given in combination with another cancer drug called cetuximab, 62% of patients with KRAS G12C-mutant colorectal cancer responded positively to treatment.

Professor Jayesh Desai, medical oncologist, clinical research associate director and early drug development trial leader at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, described these results as incredible. Although the KRAS G12C mutation occurs in only about 4% of colorectal cancer patients, it is tested regularly, making it easy to identify suitable patients for such investigational treatments.

“The median progression-free survival for patients in the study was just over eight months, and the treatment was well tolerated and side effects were manageable,” Professor Desai said.

“Although this is not a direct trial, the response rate is better than that observed with other treatments that act on the KRAS G12C mutation pathway.

“We are very hopeful that this combination of divarasib and cetuximab will lead to better outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer,” he said.

Professor Desai highlighted the important role of the Parkville Cancer Trials Early Drug Development Team in recruiting, supporting and managing patients through these challenging early stage clinical trials.

“Early drug development trials require highly experienced teams with specialized skills. It’s really outstanding,” Professor Desai said.

KRAS is an important protein that controls how cancer cells divide and survive, and mutations in the KRAS-G12C protein make cells, including cancer cells, more likely to divide uncontrollably, leading to tumor development. It leads to

Peter Mac was also deeply involved in the design and conduct of a global Phase I trial of divarasib alone in advanced metastatic cancer. published inside New England Medical Journal At the beginning of this year.