Erbitux and KRAS mutations
January 16, 2009
Routine screening of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer for KRAS mutations before initiating treatment with epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, such as cetuximab (Erbitux, ImClone), could result in a substantial cost savings. In addition, it would save patients from having to undergo ineffective therapy, according to a study presented here at the 2009 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.
"Upfront KRAS testing to limit cetuximab therapy to patients with wild-type KRAS tumors can result in drug cost savings of $604 million, if the annual [American] population with metastatic colorectal cancer undergoes first-line therapy with a cetuximab-containing regimen," said study author Veena Shankaran, MD, from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago, Illinois.
"KRAS testing is being embraced by the oncology community, and it is becoming more the standard of care," she added. As previously reported by Medscape Oncology, patients with colorectal cancer who carry KRAS mutations have been shown not to respond to treatment with EGRF inhibitors.
Data from studies indicate that the prevalence of KRAS mutations ranges from 35.6% to 42.3% in all patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, according to Dr. Shankaran, although an even higher percentage has been recorded.
Norman
