Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: A Review.

The understanding of aberrant molecular pathways that result in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and the rapid development of molecular therapies that target these pathways represent one of the great milestones in translational oncology. The story of GIST is unique in that targeted molecular therapy was successfully applied in clinical therapeutics, with dramatic results redefining the management of these traditionally chemotherapy-resistant tumors. We briefly review the molecular biology and clinical presentation of GIST and then discuss the adjuvant and neoadjuvant use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in early-stage GIST and their use in metastatic disease.

The efficacy and safety of panitumumab administered concomitantly with FOLFIRI or Irinotecan in second-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer: the secondary analysis from STEPP (Skin Toxicity Evaluation Protocol With Panitumumab) by KRAS status.

Background: Panitumumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is used as monotherapy for chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in patients with wild-type (WT) KRAS tumors. Although skin toxicities are the most common adverse events associated with EGFR inhibitors, the differences in efficacy and safety between pre-emptive and reactive skin treatment according to KRAS tumor status has not been reported.

Patients And Methods: Eligible patients had mCRC with disease progression or unacceptable toxicity with first-line treatment containing fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy ± bevacizumab.

Skin toxicity evaluation protocol with panitumumab (STEPP), a phase II, open-label, randomized trial evaluating the impact of a pre-Emptive Skin treatment regimen on skin toxicities and quality of life in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Purpose: Panitumumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is approved in the United States and Europe for the treatment of refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Skin toxicities are the most common adverse events with EGFR inhibitors. This is the first study designed to examine differences between pre-emptive and reactive skin treatment for specific skin toxicities in patients with mCRC for any EGFR inhibitor.