A study of new treatments for bowel cancer that has spread elsewhere in the body (TASCO1)
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
Cancer type:
Status:
Phase:
This study is looking at a new chemotherapy drug called S 95005. It is for people who
- have bowel (colorectal) cancer that has spread to another part of the body and it isn’t possible to remove these areas with an operation
- aren’t fit enough to have intensive treatment
More about this trial
Bowel cancer that has spread to another part of the body is called advanced or metastatic bowel cancer. Chemotherapy is the usual treatment if the cancer can’t be removed. This can be intensive and may include 3 or 4 different drugs.
If you are not strong enough for intensive treatment you may be better off having 1 or 2 drugs. You might have the chemotherapy drug capecitabine, alongside a 
called bevacizumab. This is .
S 95005 is a new chemotherapy drug. The researchers think it might be a useful treatment alongside bevacizumab. But they want to find out more.
In this study, some people have S 95005 and bevacizumab. And some have capecitabine and bevacizumab.
The aims of the study are to
- find out which treatment works best
- learn more about the side effects
Who can enter
The following bullet points list the entry conditions for this study. Talk to your doctor or the study team if you are unsure about any of these. They will be able to advise you.
You might be able to join this study if all of the following apply.
- You have cancer of the colon or rectum that has spread to another part of the body no more than 6 months ago
- It isn’t possible to remove the areas of cancer spread with an operation
- You have at least 1 area of cancer spread that can be seen on a scan
- The study team can find out if the bowel cancer cells have a change (
mutation ) to the RAS gene or not - You are well enough to be up and about for at least half the day (performance status 0, 1 or 2)
- You have satisfactory blood test results
- You are willing to use reliable contraception during treatment and for 6 months afterwards if there is any chance that you or your partner could become pregnant
- You are at least 18 years old
You cannot join this study if any of these apply.
- You have already had treatment for advanced bowel cancer. If you had chemotherapy before or after surgery you might be able to take part if it finished more than 6 months ago
- Your doctor thinks you are suitable to have chemotherapy with oxaliplatin or irinotecan
- You have cancer that has spread to the brain or to the membranes surrounding the brain (leptomeningeal metastasis)
- You have had treatment with an experimental drug in the last 4 weeks
- You have already had S 95005 or you are allergic to anything it contains
- You have had any other cancer in the last 5 years apart from very early cancers that were successfully treated
- You have problems with your heart, such as a heart attack in the last year, high blood pressure that is not well controlled, angina that is not well controlled, an abnormal rhythm of your heart, congestive heart failure that is causing symptoms
- You have had a stroke
- You have a lung condition called pulmonary fibrosis or interstitial pneumonitis
- You have diabetes that isn’t well controlled with medication
- You have had a blood clot in your leg or lung or you have had a major bleed in the 3 weeks before starting study treatment
- You have a blockage in your bowel
- You have a problem with the way your blood clots that could increase the risk of bleeding
- Your kidneys and liver aren’t working properly
- You have an
autoimmune disease or you have had an organ transplant and you need to take steroids to dampen down your immune system - You have had major surgery in the last 4 weeks
- You have had radiotherapy to large area in the last 4 weeks or to a smaller area in the last 2 weeks
- You have an active infection
- You are known to have HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C
- You have any other serious medical condition or mental health problem that the study team think could affect you taking part
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
Trial design
This is an international phase 2 study. The study team need about 40 people in the UK to take part.
The study is randomised. You are put into 1 of 2 treatment groups by computer. Neither you nor your doctor will be able to decide which group you are in.
- one group have S 95005 and bevacizumab
- the other group have capecitabine and bevacizumab
S 95005 and capecitabine are tablets. You have bevacizumab as a drip into a vein. You have treatment in cycles.
In the S 95005 and bevacizumab group, each 4 week period (28 days) is called a cycle of treatment.
In the capecitabine and bevacizumab group each 3 week period (21 days) is called a cycle of treatment.
The first day of each cycle is called day 1.
S 95005 and bevacizumab
You have
- S 95005 tablets twice a day on days 1 to 5 and 8 to 12
- bevacizumab on day 1 and day 15
Capecitabine and bevacizumab
You have
- capecitabine tablets twice a day every day for the first 2 weeks of each treatment cycle
- bevacizumab on day 1
You have treatment for as long it is helping you and the side effects aren’t too bad.
Tissue samples
The doctors need to know if your bowel cancer cells have a RAS gene change. If they do not have this information you might need to give a tissue sample () of your cancer before you start treatment.
Blood samples
You have 2 extra blood tests as part of this study. Where possible you have these at the same time as your routine blood tests. The researchers want to look for substances called to find out why treatment might work for some people and not for others.
Quality of life
The study team ask everybody taking part to complete some questionnaires before treatment starts and then every 3 months during treatment. These are called quality of life questionnaires. They look at how the treatment affects you physically and emotionally.
Hospital visits
You see the study doctors and have some tests before you start treatment. These include
You go to hospital to have bevacizumab. You shouldn’t need to stay overnight.
You see the doctors and have some blood tests during the study. This is so they can see how you are getting on. You have a CT scan every 8 weeks.
Follow up
You stop the treatment in the study if your cancer gets worse. Your doctor will talk to you about other treatment options. The study team will continue to see how you are getting on every 2 months. This might be at a routine hospital appointment or they might phone you.
If you stop having treatment but your cancer hasn’t got worse, you have a CT scan every 2 months. You see the doctors until your cancer gets worse or you start another anti cancer treatment.
Side effects
As S 95005 is a new drug, there might be side effects that we don’t know about yet. The study team will monitor you during the time you have treatment and you will be given a phone number to call them if you are worried about anything.
The most common side effects of S 95005 are
- diarrhoea
- loss of appetite
- tiredness (fatigue)
- a drop in blood cells causing an increased risk of infection, bleeding problems, tiredness and breathlessness
- blood infections
- skin infections
- feeling or being sick
We have information about
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Chief Investigator
Dr Saunders
Supported by
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
Servier Research and Development Ltd
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
