According to a study published in the Lancet, the selectively targeted medication Fruquintinib significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival rate in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients prescribed Fruquintinib had a median survival rate of 7.4 months compared to patients in the placebo group (4.8 months).

The trial included 691 patients randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive Fruquintinib or a placebo. Of these, 461 patients were placed in the Fruquintinib group, and 230 patients were placed in the placebo group.

The study’s findings showed that the progression-free survival was 3.7 months in the treatment group compared to 1.8 months in the placebo group. Additionally, the participants who got Fruquintinib had a 34% lower mortality risk than the placebo group. 24% of patients in the treatment group showed no progression at six months follow-up. 

The clinical trial for Fruquintinib, dubbed FRESCO-2, was conducted at 24 sites across fourteen countries. The lead author of the study noted that the findings from FRESCO-2 validated the results of the phase III FRESCO trial conducted in China. He revealed that the number of patients alive at nine months was 41% in the treatment group compared to 28% in the placebo group. 

The median duration of response for Fruquintinib was reported as 10.7 months. However, some of the patients were observed to be super responders, and the maximum duration of response by these super responders was 16.9 months.

(Source:https://theprint.in/science/researchers-reveal-new-treatment-for-metastatic-colorectal-cancer-prolongs-survival/1629508/ )