A new combination therapy could represent a significant advancement in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.
Findings from the SUNLIGHT trial have revealed that the combination of trifluridine/tipiracil plus bevacizumab showed a statistically significant improvement in overall survival compared to trifluridine/tipiracil alone.
The Phase III clinical trial studied participants with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) following two chemotherapy regimens.
CRC is the second most common cause of cancer mortality, accounting for 881,000 deaths globally in 2018, and patients with metastatic disease have a five-year survival rate of just 11%.
“The worldwide incidence of colorectal cancer is forecasted to exceed three million cases annually by 2040, and the number of deaths is predicted to increase by 69% to approximately 1.6 million per year,” said Professor Josep Tabernero, Head of Medical Oncology, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain, and Primary Investigator for the SUNLIGHT trial.
“New treatment options are urgently needed as we seek to reduce the growing global burden of colorectal cancer.”
The trial was funded by Taiho Pharmaceutical in collaboration with Servier.
