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Showing 16451 - 16500New PSA Recommendations: The Debate over Prostate Cancer Screening Continues
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently issued a recommendation statement advising against the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based testing for prostate cancer,1 leaving many in the oncology community concerned that decades of clinical progress will be stalled, and setting ...
SIDEBAR: Expect Questions from Your Patients
Promising results announced at the recent ASCO Annual Meeting from studies with BRAF and MEK inhibitors have made headlines, but only one of these agents—the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib (Zelboraf)—has been approved by the FDA. The others are still investigational. Patients interested in gaining...
MEK Inhibitor Reduces Progression of BRAF-mutated Melanoma and Might also Benefit Others
In the News focuses on media reports that your patients may have questions about at their next visit. This continuing column will provide summaries of articles in the popular press that may prompt such questions, as well as comments from colleagues in the field. The MEK inhibitor trametinib...
2012 Oncology Meetings
July Pan Pacific Lymphoma ConferenceJuly 17-20 • Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii For more information: unmc.edu/panpacificlymphoma 13th International Lung Cancer CongressJuly 19-22 • Huntington Beach, California For more information: http://cancerlearning.onclive.com 5th Latin American Lung Cancer...
Jesus San Miguel Receives José Carreras Award
Jesús San Miguel, MD, Professor of Medicine (Hematology), Head of the Hematology Department at the University Hospital of Salamanca, and Director of the Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca, Spain, was awarded the José Carreras Lecture at the 17th Congress of the European Hematology...
Identification of Novel Mechanism for Suppression of Antitumor Immunity
The efficacy of cancer immunotherapy has been limited, likely reflecting in large part the incomplete understanding of the complex interactions between tumors and the immune microenvironment. A study presented at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting helps clarify some of these interactions. Changes in...
Cabozantinib Prolongs Progression-free Survival in Advanced Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Cabozantinib prolonged progression-free survival in patients with unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer with documented disease progression in the phase III EXAM trial. Based on these results, Exelixis submitted a New Drug Application to the FDA in May 2012. The...
p53 Mutation in Advanced Solid Tumors Linked to Aggressive Course
Mutations in the tumor-suppressor protein p53, among the most common mutations in cancers, affect apoptosis, genomic stability, and angiogenesis. To determine the effect of p53 mutation on clinical characteristics and disease and treatment outcomes, Rabih Said, MD, MPH, and colleagues from The...
NK Cell Signature Associated with Favorable Prognosis in Breast Cancer
Tumor cell recognition by natural killer (NK) cells is mediated by the interaction of activating and inhibitory NK cell receptors with ligands expressed on the tumor cells. NK cells also express adhesion molecules that facilitate formation of the immune synapse with tumor targets. Maria Libera...
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Predict Severe Toxicity of Adjuvant Therapy in Colorectal Cancer
Oxaliplatin/fluoropyrimidine–based adjuvant therapy is of benefit in patients with resected stage II/III colon cancer, but the ability to predict risk of toxicity could improve care by permitting individualization of treatment. Ana Custodio, MD, and colleagues from GEMCAD (Grupo Español...
Two Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated with Risk for Paclitaxel-related Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is the most common severe toxicity in patients receiving paclitaxel, and mutations in genes affecting drug metabolism, distribution, and elimination are likely to modulate risk for such neurotoxicity. In a recent study, Daniel Hertz, PharmD, and colleagues from the University...
Alterations in PTEN Insufficient to Predict Sensitivity to Drugs Targeting PI3K/mTOR Pathway
PTEN acts as a tumor-suppressor gene through the action of its phosphatase protein product, which participates in regulation of the cell cycle to prevent too-rapid cell growth and division. Loss of PTEN function has been shown to increase PI3K/mTOR signaling, and preclinical data suggest that PTEN...
New Study Examines Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality
According to the first national study looking at racial disparity in breast cancer mortality rates at the city level in the United States, societal factors—especially poverty and residential segregation—are resulting in the unnecessary deaths of five black women every day—more than 1,700 deaths a...
Cancer Care in Rwanda: A Model of Creative Partnerships
While disparities in cancer care remain problematic in wealthy industrial nations like the United States, the challenges faced in poorer regions of the world are, by comparison, inestimable. Nationally regarded health-care expert Lawrence N. Shulman, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is part of...
SIDEBAR: SFA-sponsored Research
The Sarcoma Foundation of America has sponsored the following research projects—each selected through a rigorous peer-review process—in collaboration with the Conquer Cancer Foundation: Evaluation of the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in the Growth of Myogenic Sarcomas Targeting the Notch Signaling ...
Sarcoma Foundation of America Teams with Conquer Cancer Foundation to Fund Potentially Life-saving Research
When Matthew Alsante signed on to serve as Executive Director of the Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA) 6 years ago, he had a visceral understanding of the importance of the organization’s work. Mr. Alsante had lost his father to lung cancer in 1999. “Right up until the last day of his life, if...
YIA and CDA: Abbreviations of Great Importance to Continued Progress in Cancer Research
Behind the scenes researchers—who are well acquainted with the human cost of cancer and see the vast scientific and clinical opportunities for conquering it—are working to unlock the secrets of cancer in its many forms. Some are well established in their careers and have been conducting studies for ...
ASCO Bookstore Revamped
ASCO has redesigned its online bookstore. Now visitors can enjoy a streamlined environment powered by Amazon, allowing them to search in just about any way they want to: newest to oldest, most popular, by disease type, by professional interest, and the list goes on. The new bookstore platform,...
ASCO Launches Oncology Practice Census
How many oncologists are in private practice and how many are employed by hospitals and academic medical centers in the United States? No one knows the answer for sure, but ASCO is undertaking an ambitious national effort to determine where oncologists are practicing these days. Online Survey...
Blood Test to Improve Prostate Cancer Detection
Beckman Coulter, Inc, recently announced Premarket Approval from the FDA for the Prostate Health Index, a simple, noninvasive blood test that is 2.5 times more specific in detecting prostate cancer than prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients with PSA values in the 4 to 10 ng/mL range and has...
System for Breast Cancer Surgeries Gets Positive Vote
Dune Medical Devices announced that an FDA Advisory Panel voted 10 to 1 in favor of Dune’s MarginProbe System for use in breast cancer surgery, as an adjunct to current standard methods of intraoperative surgical margin assessment. Dune submitted a Premarket Application (PMA) in April 2011 based on ...
Regorafenib in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Bayer HealthCare and Onyx Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA has granted priority review designation to Bayer HealthCare’s New Drug Application (NDA) filed end of April 2012 for the oral multikinase inhibitor regorafenib, for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer whose...
Proton Therapy System Granted 510(k) Clearance
Mevion Medical Systems, Inc, announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Mevion S250 Proton Therapy System. According to Mevion, the new system delivers precise, noninvasive treatment comparable to that available with larger, more complex proton therapy systems but with higher...
FDA Approves Cetuximab plus FOLFIRI/Therascreen in Colorectal Cancer
The FDA has granted approval to cetuximab (Erbitux) for use in combination with FOLFIRI (irinotecan, fluorouracil, leucovorin) for first-line treatment of patients with KRAS mutation–negative (wild-type), EGFR-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer as determined by FDA-approved tests for this use. ...
SIDEBAR: Key Findings
When asked to comment on implications of this study, lead author Frank A. Greco, MD, remarked, “The use of this gene-expression profile assay (CancerTYPE ID, bioTheranostics, Inc) on the biopsy material of patients with carcinoma of unknown primary provides a single tissue of origin diagnosis in...
Gene Profiling–guided Therapy May Improve Survival in Patients with Carcinoma of Unknown Primary
Molecular gene-expression profiling is an emerging technique to determine tissue of origin in patients with carcinoma of unknown primary, although the value of predictions from such profiling in improving treatment outcomes is unclear. In a prospective trial using tumor profiling results to direct...
Updated Findings Further Define Role of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in CML
With three available tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), attention has turned from the ability to achieve a sustained response to the possibility of “curing” patients. Updates of pivotal trials presented at ASCO may help define the role of the tyrosine...
PACE Trial Update: Ponatinib Produces High Response Rates in CML
The third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor ponatinib showed robust efficacy in the 10-month follow-up of the phase II PACE trial (Ponatinib Ph+ALL and CML Evaluation), which is evaluating ponatinib in treatment-refractory chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)1 At the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting, Jorge E. ...
Richard Goldberg, MD, Gives First Moertel Lecture
Richard Goldberg, MD, Physician-in-Chief of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, presented the first Charles G. Moertel Lecture of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology during the plenary session of the group’s recent...
New Study on Communicating Bad News, from the Patient’s Perspective
There is limited evidence in the literature about how oncologists should discuss bad or serious news with their patients. A recent study sought to understand what patients with cancer value when their doctors communicate news of recurrence.1 The ASCO Post spoke with the study’s lead author, Anthony ...
SIDEBAR: Other Colorectal Cancer News from ASCO
Additional noteworthy gastrointestinal cancer studies presented during oral abstract sessions at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting included the following trials in metastatic colorectal cancer. Perifosine/Capecitabine Fails in Phase III Trial Adding perifosine, an oral alkylphospholipid inhibitor that...
Expert Point of View: Axel Grothey, MD
Over the past 10 years, agents targeting the VEGF system, such as bevacizumab, have become standard components of anticancer therapy in various malignancies. Recently, it has become increasingly evident that prolonged duration of anti-VEGF therapy is needed to optimize the therapeutic effect of...
Bevacizumab beyond Progression Prolongs Survival in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
In a study highlighted at a press briefing during the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting, German investigators reported that prolonging treatment with bevacizumab (Avastin) beyond disease progression extends overall survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.1 Patients received bevacizumab plus...
ASCO Studies Point to Risks Associated with Treating Childhood Cancers
Risks associated with being a young cancer survivor were emphasized by two studies highlighted in press briefings at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting. Investigators from the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) reported that adolescents and young adults treated for high-risk B-precursor acute lymphoblastic ...
2013 Certifying Examination in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
The American Board of Pediatrics has announced that the upcoming 2013 Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Certifying Examination will be held on April 16, 2013. Registration and other information is provided below. Examination Date: April 16, 2013 Registration for first-time applicants: August 1, 2012,...
First-line Afatinib Superior to Standard Chemotherapy in Advanced EGFR-mutated Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
First-line therapy with the investigational oral agent afatinib improved progression-free survival compared with standard chemotherapy (pemetrexed (Alimta)/cisplatin) in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring an EGFR mutation. Afatinib improved progression-free survival ...
Expert Point of View: Landscape for Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma Is Expanding
At an Annual Meeting press conference, ASCO spokesperson Sylvia Adams, MD, said, “BREAK-3 confirms that BRAF targeting is effective in metastatic melanoma. The tumor shrinkage seen with dabrafenib is similar to results observed for the FDA-approved drug vemurafenib, with fewer side effects. We will ...
Landscape for Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma Is Expanding
Metastatic melanoma was long considered untreatable and incurable. The FDA approval of ipilimumab (Yervoy) and vemurafenib (Zelboraf) ushered in a new era for this disease, and now additional treatment options are in late stages of clinical development. Dabrafenib, a novel oral BRAF inhibitor, and...
Lung Cancer Death Rates Increase among White Women in Some States
A new study comparing lung cancer death rates among women by year of birth shows dramatic differences in trends between states, likely reflecting the success or failure of tobacco control efforts. The study, published early online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology,1 finds that while lung cancer...
Three Experts Weigh In on the Health-care Reform Legislation
In light of the Supreme Court ruling, The ASCO Post asked three nationally regarded experts about how the Affordable Care Act will affect the practice of oncology. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD, Professor and Vice Provost for Global Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania: This is an overwhelmingly...
The Affordable Care Act Stands: Now What?
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law—a hotly contested bill that enacted sweeping changes to the U.S. health-care system. The debate over the Affordable Care Act continued all the way to the Supreme Court, spearheaded by the case Florida...
Second-line Treatments Tested in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Results of two late-breaking phase III trials presented at 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting add to the evolving understanding of how best to treat non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The TAILOR trial suggested the benefit of chemotherapy over EGFR-targeted therapy as second-line treatment of patients with...
Conquer Cancer Foundation Honors Oncology Professionals forHigh-quality Research in Breast Cancer
The Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO recently announced the recipients of its 2012 Breast Cancer Symposium Merit Awards, which recognize leading oncology professionals for their work in the area of breast cancer research. This year, the Foundation honors 16 individuals for their research in the...
SIDEBAR: Expect Questions from Your Patients
For now, genomic sequencing seems to have a greater presence in the news than in the clinic. What can physicians tell their patients who ask about genetic testing to identify mutations driving cancer growth? “The real answer is that when you get down to it, genomics is like any other test,”...
Genomics vs Site of Cancer Origin as Basis for Treatment of Cancer Is ‘False Dichotomy’
In the News focuses on media reports that your patients may have questions about at their next visit. This continuing column will provide summaries of articles in the popular press that may prompt such questions, as well as comments from colleagues in the field. Despite recent news reports...
Astragalus
The use of dietary supplements by cancer patients has risen significantly over the past 2 decades despite insufficient evidence of safety and effectiveness. Finding reliable sources of information about dietary supplements can be daunting. Patients typically rely on family, friends, and the...
Information Service Provides Innovative Resource for Patients and Providers
Jennifer Levin Carter, MD, MPH is Founder and President of N-of-One. A board-certified internist and entrepreneur, she has more than 20 years of experience evaluating existing and emerging markets, new medical technologies, and early-stage companies in the health-care field. Formerly, Dr. Carter...
A Physician, Who Is Also a Cancer Patient, Talks about Medical Errors
In a whispered but resolute voice, Itzhak Brook, MD, MSc, led off his presentation at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting1 by telling the audience his voice is weak because he doesn’t have vocal cords. He spoke with the aid of a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis. “I have practiced medicine for more than ...
Supportive Care Experts Explore 30 Years of Progress in the Field
Thirty years ago, when the first supportive care meeting as a forerunner of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Symposium was held in New York, supportive care was largely ignored, with little discussion at major cancer meetings, which focused primarily on...
Older Chemotherapy Studies in Breast Cancer Coming of Age
Results of several long-running chemotherapy trials were reported at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting breast cancer oral session, reported in brief here. NSABP B-38 The final analysis of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) B-38 trial showed that the addition of gemcitabine...
