Gastrointestinal Cancer Research : GCR

BACKGROUND: The HER2/neu gene is a proto-oncogene that can predict the response to treatment with trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and lapatinib. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of HER2/neu overexpression and to identify a subgroup of patients with gallbladder cancer who would benefit from targeted therapy. METHODS: Patients with gallbladder cancer (n = 187; 165 women and 22 men) with a recorded follow-up of at least 5 years were included, along with control subjects (n = 75)...

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion oncogenes are present in multiple cancer types. The inversion of echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genes on chromosome 2 is present in a subset of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ALK-rearranged lung cancers demonstrate a significantly higher incidence of signet ring cell histology than do ALK-negative tumors. Based on the histologic similarities of ALK-rearranged NSCLC and signet ring cell carcinomas (SRCCs) of the gastrointestinal tract, we hypothesized that SRCC of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract may also harbor ALK translocations...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) includes drugs targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Mutation in codon 12 or 13 in the Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) gene, downstream of the EGFR, evokes constitutive activation of the RAS/RAF/MAPK signaling pathway and correlates with resistance to anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies. However, a retrospective study reported that a proportion of patients with the KRAS G13D mutation may respond to cetuximab...

BACKGROUND: A standard neoadjuvant regimen has not been defined for borderline resectable (BR) pancreatic cancer. This phase II trial was designed to determine the safety of accelerated fraction radiotherapy (AFRT) with capecitabine in patients with BR pancreatic cancer. METHODS: The patients had newly diagnosed BR adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and normal organ function. Intensity-modulated (n = 11) or 3D conformal (n = 2) radiotherapy was given to a dose of 50 Gy in 2...

The management of anal cancer is driven by randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials. However, trials may present conflicting conclusions. Furthermore, different clinical situations may not be addressed in certain trials because of eligibility inclusion criteria. Although prospective studies point to the use of definitive 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin C-based chemoradiation as a standard, some areas remain that are not well defined. In particular, management of very early stage disease, radiation dose, and the use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy remain unaddressed by phase III studies...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy (preopCRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer is associated with grade 3 or higher acute gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity. This study was conducted to determine whether intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) significantly reduces acute GI toxicity, compared to 3-dimensional conformal RT (3D-CRT) in preopCRT for rectal cancer. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 48 patients treated between January 2002 and August 2010 with preopCRT for rectal cancer...

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to identify the factors associated with acute gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity during pelvic chemoradiotherapy (PCRT) in patients with rectal cancer. METHODS: We analyzed 177 patients with rectal cancer treated from 2007 through 2010. Clinical information, including weekly diarrhea and proctitis toxicity grade during PCRT, was recorded. GI structures including bowel and anal canal were contoured. The associations between toxicity and clinical and dosimetric predictors were tested...

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. A minority of patients present with localized disease and surgical resection still offers patients the only hope for long-term survival. Locally advanced pancreatic cancer is defined as surgically unresectable, but has no evidence of distant metastases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cetuximab in combination with gemcitabine and 5-FU along with radiation therapy in locally advanced non-resectable, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, using progression free survival as the primary end point...

Recent clinical trials have led to significant advancements in treatment options for metastatic neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas. Sunitinib and everolimus have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of progressive pancreatic NETs based on phase III trial data demonstrating improvements in progression-free survival. Cytotoxic drugs such as temozolomide and capecitabine have been associated with high radiographic response rates; however data derives primarily from subset analysis of prospective trials and from retrospective series...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.