Bile Duct Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Research and Clinical Trials

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center researchers identify promising drug to treat gastrointestinal cancers

By Nicole Ferrara • March 3, 2022
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

By Joe Dangor

Gastrointestinal cancers are some of the most commonly diagnosed cancers, and they continue to be associated with poor survival outcomes. The drug adagrasib specifically targets the KRASG12C gene mutation that is common in gastrointestinal cancers and inhibits gastrointestinal function.

Tanios Bekaii-Saab, M.D., an investigator from Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, has conducted research on adagrasib that has demonstrated promising clinical activity in patients with gastrointestinal cancers that harbor KRAS G12C mutations, including pancreatic cancer, biliary tract cancer and other upper gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Bekaii-Saab recently presented the results of this research as part of the KRYSTAL-1 clinical trial (NCT03785249) at the American Society of Clinic Oncology's Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.

"The prognosis for patients whose cancer harbors a KRAS gene mutation is particularly poor, and researchers' attempts to target KRAS G12C, which represents less than 5% of all KRAS mutations in this group of cancers, have failed until only recently," says Dr. Bekaii-Saab.

"Our data recently presented at ASCO GI (the symposium) showed that adagrasib not only inhibits cancers with a KRASG12C mutation effectively, but also showed promising clinical activity in patients with gastrointestinal cancers."

Dr. Bekaii-Saab says the gastrointestinal cancers for all patients treated in this phase 2 cohort were controlled, with close to half showing evidence of significant and durable tumor shrinkage.

"These results were very impressive in treating a group of diseases that tend to have a particularly poor outcome," says Dr. Bekaii-Saab. "We were pleasantly surprised by these findings, given that our previous experience with another similar agent was disappointing in this particular group of patients."

He says research with adagrasib is ongoing. If these trends continue, the drug may eventually prove to be a new option for patients with pancreatic, biliary tract and other gastrointestinal cancers.

This article was originally published as a news release on the Mayo Clinic News Network.

adagrasib bile duct cancer Bile Duct Cancer biliary tract cancer Dr. Tanios Bekaii-Saab gastrointestinal cancer KRASG12C mutation pancreatic cancer Pancreatic Cancer Research and Clinical Trials
Subscribe
Request an Appointment
Find a Clinical Trial
Unleashing viruses aimed at killing cancer

Richard Vile, Ph.D., is leading research into genetically engineered viruses called oncolytic viruses for cancer treatment at Mayo Clinic.

Hope, time and new options after CAR-T cell therapy for multiple myeloma

After receiving CAR-T cell therapy at Mayo Clinic, Welsh-born John Cadwallader achieved remission and found new hope. He now receives care in the U.K. and is monitored by Mayo in the U.S. and London.

A silent tumor, precancerous polyps and the power of genetic screening

After undergoing genetic screening as part of a research study, Tammy LeDoux learned she had Lynch syndrome, which put her at high risk of cancer.