Drug Combination to Combat Pancreatic and other Gastrointestinal Cancers

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Can a new combination of drugs, including one that is approved for colorectal cancer, help patients with advanced pancreatic and other gastrointestinal cancers?

Researchers are testing TAS-102, a drug used for colorectal cancer, along with a standard drug used to treat pancreatic cancer to evaluate their effects in patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

The Drug Combination

TAS-102 is a combination drug that contains two different agents: trifluridine and tipiracil. Trifluridine is an antiviral drug that was found to work against cancer as well. The drug gets incorporated into DNA and slows tumor growth. Tipiracil helps prevent the body from breaking down trifluridine, thus making more of the drug available to work against the cancer.

Nanoliposomal irinotecan (brand name Onivyde) encapsulates the irinotecan so that it is in circulation around the body for a longer time before it becomes active. Irinotecan inhibits the replication and transcription of DNA, and so interferes with cell growth.

By combining TAS-102 and nanoliposomal irinotecan, researchers hope to further enhance the anticancer properties of the drugs.

Participating In the Trial

This trial is for patients with advanced or metastatic gastric, pancreatic, or colorectal cancer that has continued to progress on prior treatment. All participants will receive the drugs being tested. Researchers are looking for safety and overall effectiveness of the new combination.

We encourage you to consult your physicians for clinical trials that may be right for you. The website ClinicalTrials.gov provides more details about this trial as well as many others. You can visit the EmergingMed Trial Finder for a listing of all active pancreatic cancer clinical trials.

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