Colorectal Cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the US. While the incidence and the mortality rate of colorectal cancer has decreased due to effective cancer screening measures, there has been an increase in number of young patients diagnosed in colon cancer due to unclear reasons at this point of time. While environmental and genetic factors play a major role in the pathogenesis of colon cancer, extensive research has suggested that nutrition may play both a causal and protective role in the development of colon cancer. In this review article, we aim to provide a review of factors that play a major role in development of colorectal cancer.

Regorafenib is a broad-spectrum oral multikinase inhibitor that targets several angiogenic, oncogenic, and stromal receptor tyrosine kinases that support the tumor microenvironment. Results from the pivotal Phase III Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated with Regorafenib or Placebo After Failure of Standard Therapy (CORRECT) trial showed that the addition of regorafenib to best supportive care resulted in a significant improvement in median overall survival and progression-free survival compared with placebo plus best supportive care in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) following all available approved therapies. Thus, regorafenib is the first oral multikinase inhibitor indicated for mCRC; it currently has approval in the USA, EU, Japan, Canada, and Singapore for the treatment of mCRC patients who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, and, if the tumor is KRAS wild-type, an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy. In this review, we highlight regorafenib's mechanism of action, present key efficacy data from the CORRECT trial, and discuss how to proactively manage common adverse events (eg, hand-foot skin reaction, hypertension, oral mucositis, diarrhea, and fatigue) experienced by patients receiving regorafenib. Increased awareness of potential adverse events associated with regorafenib and the implementation of proactive strategies to prevent, monitor, and manage these events early in the course of treatment will be instrumental in ensuring optimal patient management and continuation of regorafenib therapy.

(1) Background: Outcomes with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been worse in those with comorbidities and amongst minorities. In our study, we describe outcomes amongst cancer patients in Detroit, a major COVID-19 hotspot with a predominant inner-city population. (2) Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 85 patients with active invasive cancers who were infected with COVID-19. The primary outcome was death or transition to hospice. (3) Results: The majority were males (55.3%, n = 47), ≤70 years old (58.5%, n = 50), and African Americans (65.5%, n = 55). The most common primary site was prostate (18.8%, n = 16). Inpatient admission was documented in 85.5% (n = 73), ICU admission in 35.3% (n = 30), and primary outcome in 43.8% (n = 32) of hospitalized patients. On a multivariate analysis, factors associated with increased odds of a primary outcome included an age of >70 years versus ≤70 years (OR 4.7, p = 0.012) and of male gender (OR 4.8, p = 0.008). Recent cancer-directed therapy was administered in 66.7% (n = 20) of ICU admissions versus 39.5% (n = 17) of general floor admissions (Chi-square p-value of 0.023). (4) Conclusions: High rates of mortality/transition to hospice and ICU utilization were noted amongst our patients with active invasive cancer, following a COVID-19 infection. Men and those of >70 years of age had a greater than four-fold increase in odds of death or transition to hospice.

The long-term follow-up findings of the phase I trial evaluating the efficacy of oncolytic adenovirus-mediated cytotoxic and interleukin-12 gene therapy in metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC) seem very promising. The study employed a replication-competent Adenovector in combination with chemotherapy in a dose-escalation format. The trial demonstrated a clinically meaningful median overall survival (OS) benefit, with patients in the highest dose cohort exhibiting an impressive median OS of 18.4 months. This contrasts starkly with patients receiving lower doses who experienced a median OS of 4.8 and 3.5 months, respectively. Remarkably, subject number 10, who received the highest dose, demonstrated an extraordinary survival of 59.1 months, presenting a compelling case for further exploration. Additionally, this patient displayed complete responses in lung and liver metastases, a rare occurrence in mPC treatment. Statistical analyses supported the observed survival benefit. The unprecedented OS results emphasize the potential of this treatment strategy and pave the way for future investigations into this promising gene therapy approach.