A recent study presented at the 2025 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium evaluated the treatment of ctDNA-positive colorectal cancer with Lonsurf versus placebo. The 243 patients in the ALTAIR study had previously been enrolled in the CIRCuLATE-Japan study and had a positive ctDNA following surgery. The drug trifluridine/tipiracil (Lonsurf) showed particular benefit for patients with stage IV disease.
Key findings:
- Overall Results:
- Patients taking trifluridine/tipiracil lived without their cancer returning for about 9.3 months, compared to 5.6 months for those on placebo. Although this is a numerical improvement, the improvement was not statistically significant.
- Stage IV Patients:
- The drug showed the most benefit for patients with stage IV disease.
- These patients lived without cancer returning for about 9.76 months, compared to 3.96 months for those on placebo.
- After 6 months, 70.5% of stage IV patients on the drug were cancer-free, compared to only 31.3% on placebo.
- Safety:
- Side effects were manageable, with no new safety concerns identified.
- Most side effects were related to blood cell counts, which is common with cancer treatments.
The researchers noted that more time is needed to determine if the drug helps patients live longer overall.
While the results are promising for those with advanced disease, more research is needed to fully understand the drug’s long-term benefits. Patients with colorectal cancer should discuss these findings with their oncologist to determine if this treatment might be appropriate for their individual case.
More Reading:
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Reference:
Bando H, Watanabe J, Kotaka M, et al. A randomized, double-blind, phase III study comparing trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) versus placebo in patients with molecular residual disease following curative resection of colorectal cancer (CRC): the ALTAIR study. J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(suppl 4):LBA22
