A new oral treatment (tablet) called divarasib (GDC-6036) has proven effective in treating metastatic bowel cancer with a KRAS G12C mutation.
In a phase 1 trial published in Nature Medicine on 5 December, 62% of people with KRAS G12C mutated bowel cancer achieved a positive response to a combined treatment of divarasib and Erbitux (cetuximab).
"The median progression-free survival for patients in the study was just over eight months and the treatment was well tolerated with manageable side effects," said Professor Jayesh Desai, Medical Oncologist, Associate Director of Clinical Research and Head of Early Drug Development Trials at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
KRAS G12C mutation occurs in approximately 4% of patients with bowel cancer and is routinely tested for. KRAS is a protein that controls how cancer cells divide and survive and its mutation can allow for cancer cells to divide uncontrollably and form tumours.
More information on biomarkers here.
