New treatment combination improves outcomes for some patients with colorectal cancer

Research from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests a new treatment combination can extend survival for many patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

The study focused on the targeted drug nintedanib in combination with capecitabine, an approved standard therapy for colorectal cancer.

The phase I/II study was led by Patrick Boland, assistant professor of oncology in the department of medicine at Roswell Park. The research team sought to evaluate the recommended dose and efficacy of nintedanib, atyrosine kinase inhibitor, pluscapecitabine in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer—those whose cancer progressed after they received standard chemotherapy.

The team, which includes researchers from City of Hope, reports that among 40 patients who received the new combination, progression-free survival at 4 months was 36%, compared to 25% in a historical comparison group receiving standard therapy alone—a statistically significant increase.

The authors conclude that this treatment combination was well tolerated and that its efficacy compares favorably to single-agent approaches.

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