Gastrointestinal cancers—including colorectal, pancreatic, and stomach cancers—represent a significant area of focus for The Hope Foundation. We support innovative research and patient advocacy efforts to combat these complex and often difficult-to-detect diseases.
SWOG Study Finds Targeted Treatment May Be a Gentler Option for Some Colorectal Cancer Patients
A SWOG clinical trial called S1613 looked at a new treatment approach for a specific type of metastatic colorectal cancer – cancer that has spread and carries a protein called HER2 on its cells. About 2–3% of colorectal cancer patients have HER2-positive tumors, and for years, treatment options for this group have been limited.
What the trial tested:
Researchers compared two treatment approaches in 54 patients whose colorectal cancer had already been treated once before:
- Standard treatment: A combination of two drugs, cetuximab and irinotecan, that target a protein called EGFR, which helps cancer cells grow.
- Investigational treatment: A pair of drugs, trastuzumab and pertuzumab, that both target HER2 directly.
Findings:
Both approaches kept cancer from progressing for a similar amount of time. But the HER2-targeted combination caused significantly fewer serious side effects – about half as many patients experienced severe adverse events compared to those on the standard treatment. That’s a meaningful difference for patients already living with advanced cancer.
Why it matters:
The results underscore the growing importance of HER2 testing in colorectal cancer and point toward a future where treatment decisions are guided by a tumor’s molecular profile. For patients with high HER2 amplification, a targeted approach may offer similar effectiveness with a gentler side effect burden.
