Recent Results of Clinical Therapeutic Trials for Gastrointestinal Malignancies Conducted in the United States

Abstract

Gastrointestinal tract cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, causing more than 100,000 deaths a year. Approximately 99,000 new cases and 49,000 deaths occur annually from large-bowel cancers alone [37]. These figures have remained virtually unchanged in the last three decades. Carcinoma of the pancreas is increasing in incidence in the United States and is currently the fourth most common cause of cancer death. More than 21,000 cases occur annually with virtually all patients eventually dying of their disease [37]. Carcinoma of the stomach has progressively decreased in incidence in the United States over the past four decades but still accounts for more than 14,000 deaths annually [37]. Because of the high rate of primary unresectability and recurrence after resection most patients at some time in their course become candidates for therapy directed at locoregional or metastatic disease. Recent clinical research in the United States has been aimed at identifying and confirming the activity of chemotherapy or combined modality treatments for patients with advanced metastatic disease for future application in the locoregional or surgical adjuvant setting. The purpose of this report is to highlight the pertinent recent data and outline ongoing studies of interest.