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Mayo Clinic Cancer Center researchers identify promising drug to treat gastrointestinal cancers
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PHOENIX ― Gastrointestinal cancers are some of the most commonly diagnosed cancers, and they continue to be associated with poor survival outcomes. The drug adagrasib specifically targets the KRASG12C gene mutation that is common in gastrointestinal cancers and inhibits gastrointestinal function.
Tanios Bekaii-Saab, M.D., an investigator from Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, has conducted research on adagrasib that has demonstrated promising clinical activity in patients with gastrointestinal cancers that harbor KRAS G12C mutations, including pancreatic cancer, biliary tract cancer and other upper gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Bekaii-Saab recently presented the results of this research as part of the KRYSTAL-1 clinical trial (NCT03785249) at the American Society of Clinic Oncology's Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
"The prognosis for patients whose cancer harbors a KRAS gene mutation is particularly poor, and researchers' attempts to target KRAS G12C, which represents less than 5% of all KRAS mutations in this group of cancers, have failed until only recently," says Dr. Bekaii-Saab.
"Our data recently presented at ASCO GI (the symposium) showed that adagrasib not only inhibits cancers with a KRASG12C mutation effectively, but also showed promising clinical activity in patients with gastrointestinal cancers."
Dr. Bekaii-Saab says the gastrointestinal cancers for all patients treated in this phase 2 cohort were controlled, with close to half showing evidence of significant and durable tumor shrinkage.
"These results were very impressive in treating a group of diseases that tend to have a particularly poor outcome," says Dr. Bekaii-Saab. "We were pleasantly surprised by these findings, given that our previous experience with another similar agent was disappointing in this particular group of patients."
He says research with adagrasib is ongoing. If these trends continue, the drug may eventually prove to be a new option for patients with pancreatic, biliary tract and other gastrointestinal cancers.
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About Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
Designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is defining new boundaries in possibility, focusing on patient-centered care, developing novel treatments, training future generations of cancer experts, and bringing cancer research to communities. At Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, a culture of innovation and collaboration is driving research breakthroughs that are changing approaches to cancer prevention, screening and treatment, and improving the lives of cancer survivors.
About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news. For information on COVID-19, including Mayo Clinic's Coronavirus Map tracking tool, which has 14-day forecasting on COVID-19 trends, visit the Mayo Clinic COVID-19 Resource Center.
Media contact:
- Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, newsbureau@mayo.edu
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