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Simple Summary: Colorectal cancer remains a prevalent neoplasm affecting both genders. Despite advancements in screening techniques facilitating early detection, effective patient management remains paramount. This study investigates the impact of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach on patient outcomes. Results reveal a significant improvement in survival rates among MDT-followed patients compared to those lacking MDT oversight. Notably, no-MDT patients exhibited a twofold increase in mortality risk from both colon and rectal cancers. Furthermore, advanced age (>70 years) and advanced-stage disease (III and IV) emerged as pivotal risk factors. Consequently, prioritizing MDT intervention for these high-risk cohorts is imperative to optimize therapeutic strategies. Colorectal cancer emerged as the third most prevalent malignancy worldwide, affecting nearly 2 million individuals in the year 2020. This study elucidates the pivotal role of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) in influencing the prognosis, as measured by relative survival rates, depending upon the stage and age. Cases recorded in an Italian Cancer Registry between 2017 and 2018 were included. Relative survival was reported at 1 and 3 years after diagnosis comparing MDT vs. no-MDT approaches. During the study period, 605 CRCs were recorded while 361 (59.7%) were taken care of by an MDT. Compared to no-MDT, MDT patients were younger with earlier stages and received more surgery. One year after diagnosis, survival was 78.7% (90% in MDT vs. 62% in no-MDT); stratifying by stage, in the MDT group there was no survival advantage for stage I (97.2% vs. 89.9%) and II (96.8% vs. 89.4%), but an advantage was observed for stage III (86.4% vs. 56.9%) and stage IV (63.7% vs. 27.4%). Similar values were observed at 3 years where a marked advantage was observed for stages III (69.9% vs. 35.1%) and IV (29.2% vs. 5.1%). The univariable analysis confirmed an excess risk in the no-MDT group (HR 2.6; 95% CI 2.0–3.3), also confirmed in the multivariable regression analysis (HR 2.0; 95% CI 1.5–2.5). Despite the increase in the number of MDT patients in 2018 (from 50% to 69%), this does not correspond to an improvement in outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic alterations in CRC have shown a negative predictive and prognostic role in specific target therapies. The onset of immunotherapy has also undergone remarkable therapeutic innovation, although limited to a small subgroup of patients, the MSI-H/dMMR, which represents only 5% of CRC. Research is moving forward to identify whether other biomarkers can predict response to ICIs, despite various limitations regarding expression and identification methods. For this purpose, TMB, LAG3, and PD-L1 expression have been retrospectively evaluated in several solid tumors establishing the rationale to design clinical trials with concurrent inhibition of LAG3 and PD-1 results in a significant advantage in PFS and OS in advanced melanoma patients. Based on these data, there are clinical trials ongoing in the CRC as well. This review aims to highlight what is already known about genetic mutations and genomic alterations in CRC, their inhibition with targeted therapies and immune checkpoints inhibitors, and new findings useful to future treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NIVACOR trial is a phase II study assessing the efficacy and safety of nivolumab in combination with FOLFOXIRI/bevacizumab in first-line setting in patients affected by metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) RAS/BRAF mutated. We report safety run-in results in the first 10 patients enrolled. Patients received triplet chemotherapy with FOLFOXIRI scheme plus bevacizumab, in association with nivolumab every 2 weeks for 8 cycles (induction phase) followed by bevacizumab plus nivolumab every 2 weeks (maintenance phase), until progression of disease or unacceptable toxicities. The first ten patients were evaluated: 7 experienced at least one adverse event (AE) related to FOLFOXIRI/bevacizumab and 2 related to nivolumab. The most frequent grade 1–2 AEs related to FOLFOXIRI/bevacizumab were diarrhea and fatigue (71%), nausea and vomiting (57%); 3 (43%) had grade 3–4 neutropenia, and 2 (20%) patients developed grade 1–2 AEs nivolumab related: skin rash and salivary gland infection. Two patients delayed the dose because of serious AEs, proteinuria and salivary gland infection; one patient discontinued experimental treatment due to the ileo-urethral fistula and concurrent Clostridium infection diarrhea. No treatment- related death occurred. The safety run-in analysis of NIVACOR trial reassured using co-administration of FOLFOXIRI/bevacizumab and nivolumab was well tolerated with an acceptable toxicity profile. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ , (NCT04072198). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal duration and intensity of first-line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer patients once they have achieved an objective response is controversial. In a molecularly selected RAS and BRAF wild-type (wt) population, this concern is amplified. Once disease control has been achieved with a combination therapy including an anti-EGFR antibody, further exposure both to cytotoxic drugs and targeted therapy might result only in increased toxicity. In unresectable metastatic RAS and BRAF wt colorectal cancer patients, a deintensified therapy could represent a valuable option that might preserve quality of life. We designed a study to compare FOLFIRI/cetuximab to FOLFIRI/cetuximab for eight cycles followed by cetuximab alone in first-line treatment of RAS and BRAF (wt) metastatic colorectal cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Diffuse liver diseases have a high incidence among the general population and even higher in patients with a solid cancer. Since many patients with a solid tumor die of liver metastases, the aim of this systematic review of the literature was to explore the correlation between diffuse liver diseases and the risk of having liver metastases at diagnosis or during follow-up. To summarize the results of included studies, a meta-analysis was also conducted. The results of our systematic review should encourage the research community to further investigate the complex relationship between the liver's microscopic environment and metastases, which may also affect prognosis and response to therapy. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to assess the effect of diffuse liver diseases (DLD) on the risk of synchronous (S-) or metachronous (M-) liver metastases (LMs) in patients with solid neoplasms. Relevant databases were searched for systematic reviews and cross-sectional or cohort studies published since 1990 comparing the risk of LMs in patients with and without DLD (steatosis, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, fibrosis) in non-liver solid cancer patients. Outcomes were prevalence of S-LMs, cumulative risk of M-LMs and LM-free survival. Risk of bias (ROB) was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We report the pooled relative risks (RR) for S-LMs and hazard ratios (HR) for M-LMs. Subgroup analyses included DLD, primary site and continent. Nineteen studies were included (n = 37,591 patients), the majority on colorectal cancer. ROB appraisal results were mixed. Patients with DLD had a lower risk of S-LMs (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.34–0.76), with a higher effect for cirrhosis and a slightly higher risk of M-LMs (HR 1.11 95% CI, 1.03–1.19), despite a lower risk of M-LMs in patients with vs without viral hepatitis (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.40–0.82). There may have been a publication bias in favor of studies reporting a lower risk for patients with DLD. DLD are protective against S-LMs and slightly protective against M-LMs for viral hepatitis only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: FOLFOXIRI (fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan) plus bevacizumab has shown to be one of the therapeutic regimens in first line with the highest activity in patients (pts.) with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) unselected for biomolecular alterations. Generally, tumors co-opt the programmed death-1/ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) signaling pathway as one key mechanism to evade immune surveillance. As today, anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies are FDA approved only for DNA mismatch repair deficient/microsatellite instability-high (MMRd/MSI-H), which represent only about 5% among all mCRC. Nowadays, there are no data demonstrating anti PD-1 activity in proficient and stable disease (MMRp/MSS). A different target in mCRC is also the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGF-A), which acts on endothelial cells to stimulate angiogenesis. VEGF-A inhibition with bevacizumab has shown to increase the immune cell infiltration, providing a solid rationale for combining VEGF targeted agents with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Based on these evidences, we explore the combination of triplet chemotherapy (FOLFOXIRI) with bevacizumab and nivolumab in pts. with mCRC RAS/BRAF mutant regardless of microsatellite status.Methods/design: This is a prospective, open-label, multicentric phase II trial where pts. with mCRC RAS/BRAF mutated, in first line will receive nivolumab in combination with FOLFOXIRI/bevacizumab every 2 weeks for 8 cycles followed by maintenance with bevacizumab plus nivolumab every 2 weeks. Bevacizumab will be administered intravenously at dose of 5 mg/kg every 2 weeks and nivolumab intravenously as a flat dose of 240 mg every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint is the overall response rate (ORR). This study hypothesis is that the treatment is able to improve the ORR from 66 to 80%. Secondary endpoints include OS, safety, time to progression, duration of response. Collateral translational studies evaluate the i) tumor mutational burden, and ii) genetic alterations by circulating free DNA (cfDNA) obtained from plasma samples. The trial is open to enrollment, 9 of planned 70 pts. have been enrolled.Trial Registration: NIVACOR is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04072198 , August 28, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]