Publications by authors named "W A Messersmith"
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent and deadly forms of cancer. It is universally treated with a combination of the DNA damaging chemotherapy drugs irinotecan, 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), and oxaliplatin. is a novel oncogene that plays critical roles in chromatin remodeling and DNA damage repair, as well as the regulation of malignant gene expression.
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- - Determining the best treatment plan for rectal cancer is complicated, involving choices between curative or palliative surgery and considering impact on bowel function and quality of life, especially for distal rectal cancer patients.
- - Patients with rectal cancer face a higher risk of pelvic recurrence compared to those with colon cancer, making careful patient selection and a multidisciplinary treatment approach essential for better outcomes.
- - Recent updates to the NCCN Guidelines for Rectal Cancer include new treatment options like endoscopic submucosal dissection for early cases, revisions to the total neoadjuvant therapy strategy, and a nonoperative "watch-and-wait" option for patients who respond well to initial therapy.
Article Synopsis
- The study explores the use of a CD73 inhibitor (oleclumab) combined with durvalumab and chemotherapy in treating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), targeting immune surveillance evasion.
- Conducted across multiple centers, the trial included patients with metastatic PDAC in two cohorts, assessing safety and response rates with various treatment combinations for the chemotherapy regimens.
- While safety results were acceptable, the trial did not achieve its main goal of demonstrating significant treatment efficacy, although some patients with high CD73 levels showed improved outcomes.
Purpose: Rising rates of early-onset colon cancer (EOCC) present challenges in deciding how to optimally treat patients. Although standard of care for stage II CC is surgical resection, adding chemotherapy for high-risk disease, evidence suggests treatment selection may differ by age. We investigated whether adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) administration rates differ between patients with early- and later-onset stage II CC.
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- The study investigates the impact of preoperative chemo(radio)therapy on patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma, focusing on the rare occurrence of pathological complete response (pCR), where no cancer cells are found post-surgery.
- Conducted in 19 centers across 8 countries with 1758 participants, the research shows that only 4.8% of patients achieved pCR, which is linked to better overall survival rates compared to those who did not achieve pCR.
- Factors influencing the likelihood of pCR included the use of multiagent chemotherapy regimens other than the (m)FOLFIRINOX treatment, highlighting the need for tailored therapeutic approaches.