Prof Heinz-Josef Lenz talks to ecancer at the 2013 European Cancer Congress in Amsterdam about the FIRE-3 study.

The trial compared the efficacy of the chemotherapy regime FOLFIRI plus cetuximab to FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab as first-line treatment in KRAS wild-type mCRC patients. FOLFIRI plus cetuximab as first-line treatment of KRAS wild-type mCRC patients resulted in comparable overall response rates and progression free survival when compared to FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab. Overall survival was significantly longer in the FOLFIRI plus cetuximab arm.

Overall response rates and overall survival were increased in patients with cetuximab plus FOLFIRI as compared to bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI in patients without RAS mutations. Exclusion of patients with RAS mutations identifies a population which is more likely to benefit from cetuximab.

Further comment here