Practice-changing research was in the spotlight at premier global GI cancer conference

Barcelona, Spain (June 25, 2018) – The ESMO 20th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer came to a successful conclusion after four days of practice-changing research and education.  The multidisciplinary meeting brought together nearly 3,500 participants from 90 countries, including oncologists, gastroenterologists, pathologists, surgeons, and researchers, to review the latest clinical data, engage in debate and discovery, and discuss strategies to improve the outcomes of patients with cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. The ten countries with the most delegates were Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, USA, Argentina, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and Japan.

More than 400 abstracts were selected by the scientific committee for presentation, with 340 posters, and 19 chosen for oral presentation. Groundbreaking research was revealed in four late-breaking abstracts. Abstracts included results from Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials and real-world outcomes studies.

Practice-changing studies presented at the 20th ESMO World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer included:

• Overall Survival Results from a Phase 3 Trial of Trifluridine/Tipiracil in Patients with Metastatic Gastric Cancer (TAGS) – New data showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in overall survival and progression-free survival with trifluridine/tipiracil compared with placebo in heavily pretreated metastatic gastric cancer, with a predictable and manageable safety profile.
• Results from PRODIGE 24/CCTG PA.6, an Unicancer GI trial - Adjuvant chemotherapy with mFOLFIRINOX is superior to gemcitabine after pancreatic cancer resection and should now be considered a new standard of care after pancreatic cancer resection in patients with good performance status.
• Final Analysis from the Prospective, Observational CORRELATE Study - In this real-world, observational study, the safety and effectiveness of regorafenib for the treatment of mCRC in real-world clinical practice were evaluated. Despite the starting dose of regorafenib for almost half of the patients being less than the approved 160 mg daily dose, median overall survival and median progression-free survival were in the range observed in phase 3 clinical trials in this setting.
• Updated Results from the BEACON CRC Study Safety Lead-In - BEACON CRC is an ongoing Phase 3 trial to assess the BRAF inhibitor encorafenib, the MEK inhibitor binimetinib, and the anti–EGFR antibody cetuximab vs. a control arm (irinotecan/cetuximab or FOLFIRI/cetuximab) after 1–2 previous regimens for BRAFV600E mutation-positive metastatic colorectal cancer. In the safety lead-in, CETUX triplet combination was well tolerated, with AEs consistent with known toxicities of BRAF, MEK, and EGFR inhibitors. Efficacy outcomes showed substantial improvements over historical data in patients with BRAFV600E mCRC, with progression-free survival exceeding overall survival achieved with current standards of care.

According to Congress Chairs Eric Van Cutsem and Mario Dicato, "The research presented at the Congress was some of the most promising to date. Participating clinicians leave the Congress with an understanding of the very latest clinical data and will be able to integrate this new and evolving data into their work. It is the combination of high-level education, late-breaking data, and interaction among experts, that are the strengths of the meeting, and over the past 20 years, have made the Congress the premier global forum for significant scientific progress in the field."

Originally named, “Perspectives in Colorectal Cancer,” the Congress began in Geneva in 1999 with just over 100 participants. The meeting was later expanded to include cancers along the gastrointestinal tract and, through an agreement with ESMO in 2006, became the ESMO World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer. 

The meeting is organized annually by Imedex, a wholly owned subsidiary of HMP, a leading global healthcare event and education company, on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology.

Congress research was simultaneously published in a special supplement of Annals of Oncology available at: https://academic.oup.com/annonc/issue/29/suppl_5. 

The ESMO 21^st World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer will take place 3-6 July 2019 in Barcelona.

About the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)

ESMO is the leading professional organisation for medical oncology. With 18,000 members representing oncology professionals from over 150 countries worldwide, ESMO is the society of reference for oncology education and information. ESMO is committed to offer the best care to people with cancer, through fostering integrated cancer care, supporting oncologists in their professional development, and advocating for sustainable cancer care worldwide. To learn more, visit esmo.org.

About Imedex

Imedex, an HMP company, is an industry leader in the creation of independent, accredited medical education for healthcare professionals. With an emphasis in oncology, hematology, and gastroenterology, the company develops high-quality scientific programming that translates the latest research into clinically relevant information. The company operates in the United States, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit imedex.com.

About HMP

HMP is the force behind Healthcare Made Practical —and is a multichannel leader in healthcare events and education, with a mission to improve patient care. The company produces accredited medical education events and clinically relevant, evidence-based content for the global healthcare community across a range of therapeutic areas. Its brands include Consultant360, the year-round, award-winning platform relied upon by primary care providers and other specialists; Psych Congress, the largest independent mental health meeting in the U.S.; EMS World Expo, North America's largest EMT and paramedic event; and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. For more information, visit hmpglobal.com.