GIST

John Marshall, MD, recently shared the treatment considerations and decisions he makes when treating patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Marshal, chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology, director of the Otto J. Ruesch Center for the Cure of GI Cancer, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, in Washington, DC, explained his treatment decisions based on a case scenario during a <em>Targeted Oncology </em>live case-based peer perspectives presentation.

The combination of the VEGFR/FGFR inhibitor lenvatinib and the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab induced a confirmed overall response rate of 26.9% (95% CI, 11.6%-47.8%) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, according to results from a 2-part, phase Ib trial.

In results from the phase III REACH-2 trial,&nbsp;ramucirumab reduced the risk of death by 29% versus placebo as a second-line treatment for&nbsp;patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Results from the study were presented during the&nbsp;2018 ASCO Annual Meeting.

According to updated findings from the phase III ASPECT trial presented at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting, a combination of 2 over-the-counter drugs can reduce the risk for high-grade dysplasia or esophageal cancer in patients with&nbsp;Barrett&rsquo;s esophagus if taken for at least 7 years.&nbsp;These results also demonstrated that high-dose esomeprazole in combination with a low-dose aspirin was associated with delaying all-cause mortality.

Richard Kim, MD, recently discussed the treatment considerations and decisions he makes when treating patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Kim, an associate professor oncology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, and medical oncologist, Gastrointestinal Oncology Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, explained his treatment decisions based on 2 case scenarios during a <em>Targeted Oncology</em> live case-based peer perspectives program.

A supplemental new drug application seeking the approval of cabozantinib for the treatment of patients with previously-treated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma has been accepted by the FDA, according to a statement from Exelixis, the company developing the agent.

Laura Dawson, MD,&nbsp;discusses the current and future role of SBRT in the treatment of liver tumors.

Wui-Jin Koh, MD, has been selected as senior vice president and chief medical officer of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. This is a newly-designed position to oversee the NCCN Oncology Research Program.

Zev A. Wainberg, MD, recently discussed the treatment considerations and decisions he makes when treating patients with colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. Wainberg, co-director of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Program, University of California Los Angeles, explained his treatment decisions based on 2 gastrointestinal case scenarios during a <em>Targeted Oncology</em> live case-based peer perspectives program.

According to topline findings from the phase III IMblaze370 study, treatment with the combination of the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab and the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib failed to improve overall survival versus regorafenib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer&nbsp; who were previously treated.

According to additional analyses from the phase III RESORCE trial published in the<em> Journal of Hepatology,&nbsp;s</em>econd-line regorafenib continued to show antitumor activity regardless of prior dose or time to progression on frontline sorafenib (Nexavar) for patients with unresectable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.