New research published in the prestigious journal “Nature Medicine” suggests that a combination therapy approach could significantly improve survival rates for patients diagnosed with advanced-stage colon cancer. The study, led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), sheds new light on the potential benefits of this treatment strategy.
According to the findings, the combination of a targeted therapy drug called panitumumab and the chemotherapy regimen FOLFOX (folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) led to improved progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with metastatic colon cancer.
The researchers analyzed data from a clinical trial involving over 400 patients, all of whom had previously undergone standard first-line therapy for their advanced-stage colon cancer. The trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, meaning that participants were randomly assigned to receive either the combination therapy or a placebo, with neither the patients nor the researchers knowing which treatment each patient received.
The study’s results showed that patients who received the combination therapy experienced a 19% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death compared to those who received the placebo. Additionally, the combination therapy group had a 12% improvement in overall survival.
These findings are particularly significant because advanced-stage colon cancer is often considered difficult to treat, and current therapies have limited effectiveness in prolonging patients’ lives. The researchers believe that the combination therapy approach may offer a more effective way to combat the disease and extend survival for these patients.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Robert D. Schreiber from UCSD, emphasized the importance of these findings, stating, “This is the first time that a targeted therapy has been shown to improve overall survival in advanced colon cancer. These results provide a strong rationale for the use of targeted therapies in combination with chemotherapy as a standard of care for patients with advanced colon cancer.”
The researchers plan to further investigate the potential benefits of this combination therapy approach, including exploring its impact on specific patient populations and potential side effects. They hope that their findings will lead to improved treatment options for patients with advanced-stage colon cancer and ultimately, better outcomes.