GI CANCERS

Like never before, presentations related to systemic therapies for biliary tract cancers are taking center stage at medical and oncology conferences, generating hope that treating physicians will have multiple options in the near future.

The efficacy of each combination therapy targeting KRAS will likely depend on the tumor lineage, said Gordon Mills, MD, PhD.

In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Bassel El-Rayes, MD, discussed the treatment options for patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. He also discussed sequencing the available agents for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer and the role of circulating tumor DNA in guiding individualized treatment of the disease.

Long-term follow-up results from the study were presented in a poster at the virtual 2020 European Society of Medical Oncology World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer meeting.

Key opinion leaders discuss the evolving treatment paradigm for relapsed/refractory gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and provide an overview of supplemental data presented at the ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) 2020 Annual Meeting.

"The Orphan Drug Designation we received from the FDA is of significant importance in accelerating the development of PBP1510 to provide better treatment for pancreatic cancer."

Shubham Pant, MD, discusses the ESPAC-5F trial methods and efficacy in patients with pancreatic cancer.

A liposomal irinotecan combination was granted FDA Fast Track designation for the treatment of untreated and unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Andrew L. Coveler, MD, discussed the phase 1 trial study of SEA-CD40 combined with a chemotherapy regimen, which he recently presented during the ASCO Virtual Scientific Program.

"We believe DKN-01 has the potential to be an important new therapy for this patient population that remains an area of high unmet medical need."

The FDA granted approval to nivolumab for the treatment of patients with unresectable advanced, recurrent, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after receiving prior fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-based chemotherapy.

The FDA has granted margetuximab an orphan drug designation for the treatment of patients with gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer.

“Although these are early data, we are encouraged by these findings. The depth of response is particularly impressive in some patients."

The immune checkpoint inhibitor induced 1 objective response but appeared safe as treatment of patients with metastatic high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms in 2 open-label phase 2 clinical trials.