Dr. Eng on Roles of Regorafenib and TAS-102 in CRC Treatment

Cathy Eng, MD, professor of gastrointestinal medical oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the ongoing roles of regorafenib (Stivarga) and TAS-102 (Lonsurf) in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment.

The question of choosing between regorafenib and TAS-102 is one that comes up frequently in clinical practice, Eng explains. Regorafenib may be associated with increased liver function tests; therefore, for a patient with significant tumor burden in the live, this agent may not be the primary treatment choice. Additionally, regorafenib is an angiogeneic agent, so if physicians are concerned about patients' blood pressure, risk of stroke, or potential risk of bowel obstruction, TAS-102 may be a more appropriate choice.

However, TAS-102 results in increased myelosuppression. In this case, physicians can adjust a patients' dosing schedule or pegfilgrastim (Neulasta). Both regorafenib and TAS-102 are oral agents and require close follow-up of agents, Eng adds.

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