Targeted therapies in the management of colorectal carcinoma: role of bevacizumab

Colorectal cancer continues to be an important public health concern, despite improvements in screening and better systemic chemotherapy. The integration of targeted therapies in the treatment of colon cancer has resulted in significant improvements in efficacy outcomes. Angiogenesis is important for tumor growth and metastasis and is an important target for new biological agents. Bevacizumab is a humanized recombinant antibody that prevents vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor binding, and inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth. The addition of bevacizumab to fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy, with or without irinotecan or oxaliplatin, in both the first- and second-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, significantly increased median progression-free survival and overall survival in select randomized phase III studies. Ongoing studies are evaluating the role of bevacizumab in the adjuvant treatment of colon cancer. Common toxicities associated with bevacizumab include hypertension, bleeding episodes, and thrombotic events. This review will focus on the integration of bevacizumab in the treatment paradigm of colon cancer and the management of its side effects

Resolution of Crizotinib-Associated Fulminant Hepatitis following Cessation of Treatment

Targeted cancer treatments offer the prospect of precise inhibition of tumor growth without the untoward off-target toxicity of traditional chemotherapies. Still, unintended, often idiosyncratic side effects, such as drug-induced liver injury, can occur. We discuss the case of a 26-year-old female with a history of ROS1-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma, undergoing treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor crizotinib, who presented to our hospital with abdominal pain and scleral icterus. Liver chemistries were notable for hyperbilirubinemia (5 mg/dL total) and marked transaminasemia (AST 1736 U/L, ALT >3500 U/L); liver biopsy demonstrated acute hepatitis with extensive necrosis. There was no evidence of an infectious or autoimmune etiology. It was discovered that the patient was taking a 500 mg once daily dose of crizotinib, in lieu of the intended dose of 250 mg twice daily. After immediate cessation of crizotinib therapy upon hospital admission, there was complete biochemical resolution of the hepatitis. This case highlights the potential reversibility of fulminant crizotinib-associated hepatoxicity, possibly related to supratherapeutic dosing, when managed with abrupt stoppage of the drug and initiation of supportive care

Overall survival in the OlympiA phase III trial of adjuvant olaparib in patients with germline pathogenic variants in BRCA1/2 and high-risk, early breast cancer

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