Extended RAS Analysis of the Phase 3 EPIC Trial: Irinotecan + Cetuximab vs Irinotecan as Second-Line Treatment for Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

CONCLUSION: PFS, ORR, and QoL were improved with cetuximab plus irinotecan as a second-line treatment in patients with RAS-wt mCRC, confirming that cetuximab-based therapy is suitable in this population. Almost half of patients in the irinotecan arm received post-study cetuximab, masking a potential OS benefit of cetuximab addition.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Cetuximab is approved for the treatment of RAS-wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In this retrospective analysis of the phase 3 EPIC study (cetuximab plus irinotecan versus irinotecan alone as second-line treatment in patients with RAS-unselected mCRC), the subgroup of patients with RAS-wild-type mCRC who received cetuximab plus irinotecan had improved progression-free survival, objective response rate, and quality of life compared with the RAS-unselected population. These findings suggest that cetuximab-based therapy is a suitable second-line treatment for patients with RAS-wild-type mCRC.
PMID: 33191588 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: The Oncologist - November 15, 2020 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Sobrero A, Lenz HJ, Eng C, Scheithauer W, Middleton G, Chen W, Esser R, Nippgen J, Burris H Tags: Oncologist Source Type: research