Background Testing for mutation of the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) gene is a standard of care for

Background Outcomes for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mcrc) are improving with the introduction of new treatments. Treatment for patients who are still fit after failure of all available therapies represents a significant unmet need. In the present study, we analyzed real-world treatment patterns for patients enrolled in Health Canada’s trifluridine/tipiracil (ftd/tpi) Special Access Program (sap) and Taiho Pharma Canada’s Patient Support Program (psp).Methods Demographic information and clinical treatment data were collected from adults with mcrc who were previously treated with, or were not candidates for, available therapies and who were enrolled in the sap and psp. For all patients, ftd/tpi treatment status, discontinuation reasons, and prior therapies were examined.Results The analysis included 717 Canadian patients enrolled in the ftd/tpi sap and psp from September 2017 to October 2018. In that cohort, 59.7% were men, median age was 65 years, and median duration of therapy was 77 days (25%–75% interquartile range: 43–106 days). Of treated patients, 67.1% maintained the same dose for the duration of therapy; 28.0% had a dose reduction. On multivariable analysis, duration of therapy was not influenced by sex, age, province, RAS mutation status, or prior therapies. However, prior oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (capox or folfox) appeared to be associated with higher rates of discontinuation because of death or disease progression.Conclusions In advanced mcrc, ftd/tpi is a well-tolerated therapy. The large number of patients enrolled in the access programs within a short period of time is reflective of major clinical need in this area, with many patients being eligible and interested in pursuing treatment in the refractory setting.

Background Quality of life (qol) is important for oncology patients, especially for those with late-stage disease. The present study was initiated to address the lack of published prospective data about the qol benefits of trifluri­dine/tipiracil (tfd/tpi) compared with best supportive care (bsc) in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mcrc). Methods This prospective, cross-sectional, non-interventional study used multidimensional validated scales to evaluate patient-reported qol in two study cohorts of patients and also to measure differences in mcrc-related symptoms and pain in a real-world clinical setting. Results Our findings demonstrate that patients with refractory mcrc report better overall qol when treated with tfd/ tpi than with bsc alone. In that population, statistically significant differences in mean qol measures favoured tfd/tpi over bsc for physical symptom distress, psychological distress, activity impairment, overall valuation of life, and symptomatology. The overall better qol for patients receiving tfd/tpi implies that treatment was well tolerated and was associated with a lower symptom burden. No significant differences for pain were observed between the groups. Conclusions This study suggests that tfd/tpi is a well-tolerated option for the treatment of patients with refractory mcrc, showcasing the value of capturing real-world qol data in routine clinical practice.

Background: Gastric cancer mortality remains among the highest of all cancers. Trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) represents Canada’s first standard-of-care, third-line, systemic therapy for metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal cancer. We characterized real-world treatment patterns in patients enrolled to receive FTD/TPI through Taiho Pharma Canada’s Patient Support Program. Methods: Demographic and clinical information were collected from November 2019 to November 2021 for adult patients with refractory metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal cancer throughout Canada. We examined all variables using descriptive statistics and performed survival and association analyses. Results: 162 patients enrolled to receive FTD/TPI with a median age of 65 years, 12 of whom had HER2 positive disease. Among 123 patients who started FTD/TPI, median follow-up was 3.1 months and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.5 months (95% CI 3.2–4.0). Among 121 patients who discontinued FTD/TPI, median treatment duration was 2.39 cycles (IQR 1.14–3.86). A total of 52% discontinued treatment due to disease progression, and 27% had a dose reduction or delay. On multivariable logistic regression, prior FOLFIRI was a statistically significant predictor of treatment modification. Conclusions: Through the Patient Support Program, FTD/TPI is an actively utilized treatment option in heavily pretreated metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal cancer, despite its recent introduction. With longer-than-expected treatment duration and PFS, FTD/TPI likely addresses an important unmet need for effective and tolerable therapies in this setting.

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