[ASCO- and ESMO-update 2017 - highlights of the 53. meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology/ASCO 2017 and European Society for Medical Oncology/ESMO congress 2017].

At ASCO 2017, and subsequently the ESMO congress 2017, a number of studies were presented which, in part, may change the present standard of therapy in gastrointestinal oncology. The German FLOT4 trial established perioperative Docetaxel, Oxaliplatin and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) as the new treatment standard for resectable adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction and the stomach. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), two large studies did not show a survival benefit for selective internal therapy (SIRT), so an increasing use of SIRT in HCC is not recommended. On the other hand, the multityrosinekinase inhibitor Lenvatinib seems to be a promising alternative to sorafenib in first line treatment of metastatic HCC. In early colon cancer-following the data from the large IDEA initiative-three months of capecitabine and oxaliplatin is recommended for low-risk stage III cancers (T1 - 3, N1), while in high-risk stage III cancers (T4 or N2) patients should still receive six months of oxaliplatin and a fluoropyrimidine. Aside from regular exercise, one study found that regular intake of tree nuts (at least 2 servings per week), may decrease the risk of recurrence. In first line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), SIRT should not be applied, whereas in BRAF mutant cancers, the combination of irinotecan, cetuximab and vemurafenib seems to be a promising second line treatment option. In biliary tract cancer, after curative resection, six months of capecitabine is considered the new treatment standard. Finally, in pancreatic cancer, targeting the tumor stroma with pegylated hyaluronidase (PEGPH20) may be a new treatment option that needs to be proven in phase 3 studies.