Fourth European Advocacy in Action Forum during the 2013 European Cancer Congress

ESMO and Vital Options International present the 4th European Advocacy In Action® Forum, bringing together influential leaders from the cancer advocacy community. Fifteen videos have been made available online on the following topics: Palliative care & quality of life care, Cancer patient compliance: whose responsibility?, Building knowledge & competencies for patient involvement in clinical trials. View the videos here.

Could antioxidants speed up cancer progression?

A new Swedish study conducted at the Sahlgrenska Cancer Center at the University of Gothenburg has shown that doses of acetylcysteine, an antioxidant supplement, increased growth of tumours in mice with early lung cancer.  According to senior author Dr. Martin Bergo, "antioxidants caused the mice to die twice as fast, and the effect was dose-dependent."  Although some critics argue that a study involving animals may not translate to producing similar results in humans, Peter Campbell, director of the Tumor Repository at the American Cancer Society points out that trials conducted on humans in the 1980s and 1990s did indicate that antioxidants increased the incidence of lung cancer in smokers.  

To read more about this study, click here

Study mentioned: Sayin V., et al.  Antioxidants accelerate lung cancer progression in mice. Sci Transl Med. 2014 Jan 29.

New computer model may aid personalized cancer care

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have developed a mathematical model to predict how a patient’s tumor is likely to behave and which of several possible treatments is most likely to be effective. Researchers combined several types of data from pre- and post-treatment biopsies of breast tumors to obtain a molecular picture of how the cancer evolved as a result of chemotherapy. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Almendro V, et al. Inference of Tumor Evolution during Chemotherapy by Computational Modeling and In Situ Analysis of Genetic and Phenotypic Cellular Diversity. Cell Rep. 2014 Jan 21. pii: S2211-1247(13)00799-7. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24462293

Putting a brake on tumor spread

A team of scientists, led by principal investigator David D. Schlaepfer, a professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has found that a protein involved in promoting tumor growth and survival is also activated in surrounding blood vessels, enabling cancer cells to spread into the bloodstream. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Jean C, et al. Inhibition of endothelial FAK activity prevents tumor metastasis by enhancing barrier function. J Cell Biol. 2014 Jan 20;204(2):247-63. PMID: 24446483

Study shows 1 in 5 women with ovarian cancer has inherited predisposition

A new study conservatively estimates that one in five women with ovarian cancer has inherited genetic mutations that increase the risk of the disease, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Most women in the study would have been unaware of a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer because they didn’t have strong family histories that suggested it. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Kanchi KL, et al. Integrated analysis of germline and somatic variants in ovarian cancer. Nat Commun. 2014 Jan 22;5:3156. PMID: 24448499

Obesity linked to poor prognosis in tongue cancer

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering and Weill Cornell Medical College have made a striking discovery about one head and neck cancer in which obesity was previously not thought to be a factor in survival. The research team found that obesity just before diagnosis is associated with a five-fold increase in the risk of death from early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Iyengar NM, et al. Impact of obesity on the survival of patients with early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue. Cancer. 2014 Jan 21. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24449483

Analysis of role of different genetic variants involved in Lynch syndrome

An international study has developed a refined method to identify people at risk for certain inherited cancers as a result of Lynch syndrome. The study has been performed by clinicians and researchers who are part of the International Society for Gastrointestinal Hereditary Tumours (InSiGHT) and analysed the role of different genetic variants involved in Lynch syndrome. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Thompson BA, et al. Application of a 5-tiered scheme for standardized classification of 2,360 unique mismatch repair gene variants in the InSiGHT locus-specific database. Nat Genet. 2013 Dec 22. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24362816

European Medicines Agency recommended marketing authorisation for 16 medicines for the treatment of cancer in 2013

In 2013, the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended 81 medicines for human use for marketing authorisation, compared with 57 in 2012. In 2013, 16 new medicines for the treatment of cancer were recommended for marketing authorisation, of which 12 contain a new active substance. Read more here.

European Medicines Agency recommends refusal of the marketing authorisation for masitinib

The European Medicines Agency Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a negative opinion, recommending the refusal of the marketing authorisation for the medicinal product masitinib (Masiviera), intended for the treatment of advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer. Read more here.

Risk/benefit ratio of new immunotherapy strategies

The increase in knowledge about the way the immune system functions is leading to exciting new therapeutic possibilities for cancer patients. A panel of experts met during the ESMO Symposium on Immuno-Oncology to discuss about risk/benefit of: Vaccines, Checkpoint inhibitors, and Adoptive T cell transfer. Read the panel discussion and/or view the webcast here.

Non-small-cell lung cancer: a guide for patients

This newly updated guide for patients has been prepared by ESMO in collaboration with Anticancer Fund as a service to patients, to help patients and their relatives better understand the nature of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and appreciate the best treatment choices available according to the subtype of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Read more here.

IARC Biennial Report 2012-2013

IARC has released its Biennial Report 2012-2013 which provides a summary of the recent achievements of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The report demonstrates the importance of the core mission of IARC, to promote international collaboration in cancer research, and illustrates how the continued response to that mission has evolved since its inception. Read the full report here.

IARC education and training programme website launched

International Agency for Research on Cancer is pleased to announce the launch of a new dedicated Education and Training Programme website. This serves as an online single entry point to all IARC education and training initiatives, including fellowships and courses, opportunities for Early Career Scientists, and a database that links to existing online IARC learning and training resources such as digital training manuals. Visit the website here.

Too few cancer patients enroll in studies

In an article published on January 28th, Marilynn Marchione, Associated Press Chief Medical Writer, explores the issue of enrollment in clinical trials and the impact of patient enrollment in testing new treatments. The article cites the recent analysis of thousands of experiments registered on clinicaltrials.gov lead by Dr. Matthew Galsky of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso offered a perspective of one of the barriers to patients enrolling in clinical trials. Read more here.

Summary Basis of Decision (SBD) for Mentor MemoryGel™ silicone gel-filled breast implants

This document includes the conditions of licence stipulated by Health Canada regarding Mentor MemoryGel™ Silicone Gel-Filled Breast Implants as indicated for females for breast augmentation, breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, as well as revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast augmentation or breast reconstruction surgery. Read more here.

It’s time to treat smoking as an addiction

The recent 50th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Surgeon-General’s report on smoking provides a good opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come in the war on tobacco, as well as how far we have left to go. Dr. Andrew Pipe, the chief of the division of prevention and rehabilitation at the Ottawa Heart Institute, says smoking cessation should be promoted as aggressively as blood-pressure control. When someone suffers from hypertension, they are not asked to consider getting their blood pressure down some day, they are prescribed medication, given a follow-up appointment and offered lifestyle counselling. Smoking is much more deadly, but not taken as seriously. Read more here.

Dartmouth researchers developing new approach for imaging dense breasts for abnormalities

Dartmouth engineers and radiologists are developing new approaches for an emerging technique in diagnostic imaging for breast cancer—MRI with near-infrared spectroscopy.

Click here to read the full press release.

World Cancer Day

What if the entire world joined forces to fight cancer? Tuesday, February 4th is World Cancer Day, a time when organizations and individuals around the world send a message: Ending cancer should be a global health priority.

First Nations Cancer Control in Canada Baseline Report

While cancer affects everyone, rates of common cancers have increased among First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the past few decades and in some populations are now at or above those in the general Canadian population. A new report released in December 2013 examines cancer control for First Nations across Canada and provides a baseline against which progress can be measured over the coming years.

The HPV Vaccine and Cervical Cancer

Tonia Forte, Research Associate, System Performance and Surveillance, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer talks about HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers. View the video here.

Supplementary resources:

•Forte T, Niu J, Lockwood GA, Bryant HE. Incidence trends in head and neck cancers and human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer in Canada, 1992-2009. Cancer Causes Control. 2012 Jun 21. View abstract.
•The HPV Vaccine and Cervical Cancer

Making music videos 'helps young cancer patients cope'

Music therapy can help teenagers and young people cope better when faced with treatment for cancer, a study in Cancer journal suggests. American researchers followed the experiences of a group of patients aged 11-24 as they produced a music video over three weeks. They found the patients gained resilience and improved relationships with family and friends. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Robb SL, et al. Randomized clinical trial of therapeutic music video intervention for resilience outcomes in adolescents/young adults undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant: A report from the Children's Oncology Group. Cancer. Article first published online: 27 JAN 2014.

Study urges culturally apt breast cancer programmes

Culturally appropriate breast cancer intervention programmes should be created to fight the disease right from the early stage, a recent study published by some researchers from Qatar has suggested. There should also be increased awareness about breast cancer, breast cancer screening and the benefits of early detection of breast cancer, according to the study. The group of researchers was led by Tam Truong Donnelly from University of Calgary in Qatar. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Donnelly TT, et al. Beliefs and attitudes about breast cancer and screening practices among Arab women living in Qatar: a cross-sectional study. BMC Womens Health. 2013 Dec 13;13:49. PMID: 24330708

Study shows experimental drug idelalisib effective against chronic lymphocytic leukemia

A study of idelalisib finds that this experimental targeted therapy drug may effectively treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients without the need for chemotherapy. "The treatment today for CLL can be worse than the disease, leading to a great deal of side effects and death,” said lead investigator Richard R. Furman, MD, in a statement. “This study, and others we have conducted on idelalisib, demonstrates that we may no longer need to use chemotherapy in CLL." Read more here.

Study mentioned: Furman RR, et al. Idelalisib and Rituximab in Relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2014 Jan 22. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24450857

NIH scientists map genetic changes that drive tumors in a common pediatric soft-tissue cancer

Scientists have mapped the genetic changes that drive tumors in rhabdomyosarcoma, a pediatric soft-tissue cancer, and found that the disease is characterized by two distinct genotypes. The genetic alterations identified in this malignancy could be useful in developing targeted diagnostic tools and treatments for children with the disease. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Shern JF, et al. Comprehensive Genomic Analysis of Rhabdomyosarcoma Reveals a Landscape of Alterations Affecting a Common Genetic Axis in Fusion-Positive and Fusion-Negative Tumors. Cancer Discov. 2014 Jan 16. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24436047

Genetic counseling via telephone as effective as in-person counseling

Genetic counseling delivered over the telephone is as effective as face-to-face counseling, finds the largest randomized study to date comparing the two methods. The multi-center study, led by researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, was reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Schwartz MD, et al. Randomized Noninferiority Trial of Telephone Versus In-Person Genetic Counseling for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Jan 21. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24449235

Cancer diagnosis doesn’t increase a child’s risk of post-traumatic stress disorder

A St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital study found that despite being diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses, childhood cancer patients are no more likely than their healthy peers to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Young cancer patients were also more likely than children who experience other stressful events to report having benefited from the experience. Reported benefits included developing greater empathy and growing closer to family and friends. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Phipps S, et al. Posttraumatic Stress and Psychological Growth in Children With Cancer: Has the Traumatic Impact of Cancer Been Overestimated? J Clin Oncol. 2014 Jan 21. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24449230

Melatonin may lower prostate cancer risk

Higher levels of melatonin, a hormone involved in the sleep-wake cycle, may suggest decreased risk for developing advanced prostate cancer, according to results presented at the AACR-Prostate Cancer Foundation Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research, held Jan. 18-21. "Sleep loss and other factors can influence the amount of melatonin secretion or block it altogether, and health problems associated with low melatonin, disrupted sleep, and/or disruption of the circadian rhythm are broad, including a potential risk factor for cancer," said Sarah C. Markt, M.P.H., doctoral candidate in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. Read more here.

Antipsychotic drug exhibits cancer-fighting properties

In a prime example of finding new uses for older drugs, studies in zebrafish show that a 50-year-old antipsychotic medication called perphenazine can actively combat the cells of a difficult-to-treat form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The drug works by turning on a cancer-suppressing enzyme called PP2A and causing malignant tumor cells to self-destruct. The findings suggest that developing medications that activate PP2A, while avoiding perphenazine's psychotropic effects, could help clinicians make much-needed headway against T-cell ALL, and perhaps other tumors as well. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Gutierrez A, et al. Phenothiazines induce PP2A-mediated apoptosis in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. J Clin Invest. 2014 Jan 9. pii: 65093. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24401270

New study shows promise for preventing therapy resistance in tumor cells

A new study led by University of Kentucky researchers suggests that activating the tumor suppressor p53 in normal cells causes them to secrete Par-4, another potent tumor suppressor protein that induces cell death in cancer cells. This finding may help researchers decipher how to inhibit the growth of tumors that have become resistant to other treatments. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Burikhanov R, et al. Paracrine Apoptotic Effect of p53 Mediated by Tumor Suppressor Par-4. Cell Rep. 2014 Jan 7. pii: S2211-1247(13)00765-1. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24412360

Mutation discovery may improve treatment for rare brain tumor type

Scientists have identified a mutated gene that causes a type of tenacious, benign brain tumor that can have devastating lifelong effects. Currently, the tumor can only be treated with challenging repeated surgeries and radiation. The discovery is encouraging, because it may be possible to attack the tumors with targeted drugs already in use for other kinds of tumors, said the investigators from Dana-Farber/ Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Brastianos PK, et al. Exome sequencing identifies BRAF mutations in papillary craniopharyngiomas. Nat Genet. 2014 Jan 12. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24413733

Two behavioral interventions help cancer patients struggling with sleep issues

Cancer patients who are struggling with sleep troubles, due in part to pain or side effects of treatment, can count on two behavioral interventions for relief – cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), Penn Medicine researchers report in a new study. While CBT-I is the gold standard of care, MBSR is an additional treatment approach that can also help improve sleep for cancer patients, the study found. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Garland SN, et al. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Compared With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Insomnia Comorbid With Cancer: A Randomized, Partially Blinded, Noninferiority Trial. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Jan 6. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24395850

Researchers develop tool to determine individual risk of prostate cancer overdiagnosis

Studies have found that prostate cancer is overdiagnosed in up to 42 percent of cases, prompting men to receive unnecessary treatment that can cause devastating side effects, including impotence and incontinence. Now, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington have developed a personalized tool that can predict the likelihood of prostate cancer overdiagnosis. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Gulati R, et al. Individualized Estimates of Overdiagnosis in Screen-Detected Prostate Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2014 Jan 7. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24399850

Small molecule shows promise as anti-cancer therapy

Johns Hopkins scientists say a previously known but little studied chemical compound targets and shuts down a common cancer process. In studies of laboratory-grown human tumor cell lines, the drug disrupted tumor cell division and prevented growth of advanced cancer cells. In a recent study, Marikki Laiho, M.D., Ph.D., and her colleagues say their work focused on the ability of a chemical dubbed BMH-21 to sabotage the transcription pathway RNA Polymerase pathway, shutting down the ability of mutant cancer genes to communicate with cells and replicate. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Peltonen K, et al. A Targeting Modality for Destruction of RNA Polymerase I that Possesses Anticancer Activity. Cancer Cell. 2014 Jan 13;25(1):77-90. PMID: 24434211

Multiple myeloma study uncovers genetic diversity within tumors

The most comprehensive genetic study to date of the blood cancer multiple myeloma has revealed that the genetic landscape of the disease may be more complicated than previously thought. Through results published in Cancer Cell, a team of Broad researchers, including scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has shown that an individual patient’s tumor can harbor populations of cancer cells equipped with different mutations. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Lohr JG, et al. Widespread genetic heterogeneity in multiple myeloma: implications for targeted therapy. Cancer Cell. 2014 Jan 13;25(1):91-101. PMID: 24434212

Vemurafenib in hairy-cell leukaemia

A team of scientists from the University of Leicester, UK, have published findings that indicate that vemurafenib, a BRAF inhibitor that has been approved as a treatment for advanced melanomas, cleared the malignant cells from the blood of patient with hairy-cell leukaemia (HCL) who had exhausted all other treatment options. The treatment with vemurafenib led to a complete clinical recovery in a number of days. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Samuel J, et al. Efficacy of vemurafenib in hairy-cell leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2014 Jan 16;370(3):286-8. PMID: 24428489

Phase II trial results of bevacizumab in combination with radiotherapy and cisplatin in locally-advanced cervical cancer

A recent article reports results of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) phase II clinical trial of bevacizumab in addition to cisplatin and pelvic radiation for previously untreated patients with locally-advanced cervical cancer. The RTOG investigators report promising results for bevacizumab when added to the existing standard of care. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Schefter T, et al. RTOG 0417: Efficacy of Bevacizumab in Combination With Definitive Radiation Therapy and Cisplatin Chemotherapy in Untreated Patients With Locally Advanced Cervical Carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2014 Jan 1;88(1):101-5. PMID: 24331655

KRAS profiling in non-squamous NSCLC

The researchers from the University of Cincinnati Cancer Institute have found in a small molecular profiling study that the most effective treatment strategy for KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) would be combined targeting of oncogenic KRAS in addition to other therapeutic agents specific to the molecular profile of the tumour. The findings were presented in a poster session at the American Association for Cancer Research–International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (AACR-IASLC) Joint Conference on the Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer (6-9 January, 2014, San Diego, USA). Read more here.

Ramucirumab in combination with paclitaxel improves overall survival in second line treatment for metastatic gastric cancer

A randomised, international phase III RAINBOW study met its primary endpoint of improved overall survival with a monoclonal antibody ramucirumab when given in combination with paclitaxel as second-line treatment for metastatic gastric cancer. Median overall survival for patients receiving ramucirumab plus paclitaxel was 9.6 months, compared to 7.4 months for those receiving only paclitaxel. The study results were presented by Dr Hansjochen Wilke of the Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Essen, Germany at 2014 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium (16-18 January, San Francisco, USA). Read more here.

Calgary cancer researchers volunteer to test their homes for radon

Cancer researchers and clinicians are testing their homes for radon gas this month in an effort to bring awareness to the cancer-causing radioactive gas that could be lurking in the homes of Canadians. “Radon gas is a significant public health concern for the prairie provinces, in particular, but one which is largely invisible to the public eye. Without question, if you live in a home with high radon, your lungs are being exposed to DNA-mutating radiation which can cause lung cancer even in people who have never smoked a day in their lives,” says Aaron Goodarzi, a member of the University of Calgary’s Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute. Read more here.

Study finds more targeted form of radiation improves survival in patients with head and neck cancers

Patients with cancers of the head and neck who received intensity-modulated radiation therapy - a technology designed to more precisely target cancer cells and spare nearby tissue - experienced improved outcomes, as well as reduced toxicities, compared to patients receiving conventional radiation therapy, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Beadle BM, et al. Improved survival using intensity-modulated radiation therapy in head and neck cancers: A SEER-Medicare analysis. Cancer. 2014 Jan 13. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24421077

New analysis shows fewer years of life lost to cancer

“We have made steady progress against the burden of many cancers for decades,” said principal investigator Samir Soneji, PhD, assistant professor for Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, a member of Norris Cotton Cancer Center. “As fewer and fewer people die from heart disease, stroke, and accidents, more and more people are alive long enough to be at risk of developing and dying from cancer.” Read more here.

Study mentioned: Soneji S, et al. Assessing Progress in Reducing the Burden of Cancer Mortality, 1985-2005. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Jan 13. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24419122

Media literacy tops traditional education in school smoking-prevention efforts

A school-based smoking prevention program centered on media literacy performed better than traditional anti-smoking educational programming, according to a new University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study. While traditional anti-smoking education focuses on health effects of smoking and resisting peer and other social influences, media literacy empowers participants to analyze and evaluate portrayals of tobacco use in media. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Primack BA, et al. Comparison of media literacy and usual education to prevent tobacco use: a cluster-randomized trial. Journal of School Health. 2014; 84(2):106-115.

Dartmouth researchers discover that coevolution between humans and bacteria reduces gastric cancer risk

Research carried out in two distinct communities in Colombia illustrates how coevolution between humans and bacteria can affect a person's risk of disease. Working with colleagues in Columbia and the U.S., Scott Williams, PhD, a professor of genetics at the Geisel School of Medicine and the Institute of Quantitative Biomedical Sciences at Dartmouth, and his graduate student Nuri Kodaman discovered that the risk of developing gastric cancer depends heavily on both the ancestry of the person and the ancestry of Helicobacter pylori with which that person is infected. Read more here.

Post-Authorization Activity Table (PAAT) for Kadcyla

Based on Health Canada's review, the benefit/risk profile of Kadcyla is favourable as a single agent for the treatment of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive, metastatic breast cancer who received both prior treatment with Herceptin (trastuzumab) and a taxane, separately or in combination. Patients should have either received prior therapy for metastatic disease, or developed disease recurrence during or within 6 months of completing adjuvant therapy. Read more here.

Many who could benefit from HPV vaccine unaware it is effective

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent infections from the 2 types of HPV responsible for 70% of all cervical cancers. But many Americans who would benefit from getting the vaccine do not know this information – even though the vaccine has been available for more than 7 years. This is according to a new American Cancer Society study of 1,417 people categorized as “HPV vaccine-relevant” – those who are or who have an individual in their immediate family who is 9 to 27 years old. Read more here.

Emerging issues in head and neck cancer

In order to review new developments in the genetic and molecular epidemiology of head and neck cancers, IARC will organize an international meeting on emerging issues in head and neck cancer. The meeting, to be held June 2-3, 2014 in Italy, will involve three over-arching topics: (i) HPV, (ii) genomic studies, and (iii) clinical advances and early detection, and will involve some of the leading international investigators from these three areas. Read more here.

Current therapeutic options and development strategies in cancer immunotherapy

The increase in knowledge about the way the immune system functions is leading to exciting new therapeutic possibilities for cancer patients. A panel of experts met during the ESMO Symposium on Immuno-Oncology to discuss: Critical components of immune therapy; Disruption of homeostatic regulatory mechanisms; Angiogenesis blockade; Expansion of tumour-reactive T cells. Read the panel discussion here.

CMA says no to e-cigarettes

The CMA has taken a strong stand against the sale of electronic cigarettes by endorsing a series of recommendations from its Committee on Health Care and Promotion. Currently, e-cigarettes are not regulated or approved for sale in Canada. The recommendations approved by the CMA Board state: in the absence of "solid evidence" of harms or benefits, the sale of e-cigarettes containing nicotine should not be allowed; there should be a ban on the sale of e-cigarettes to minors (some e-cigarettes contain no nicotine); there should be ongoing research into the potential harms and benefits of e-cigarettes. Read more here.

New York Times article considers inevitability of cancer

In a recent article in The New York Times, George Johnson, the author of “The Cancer Chronicles,” analyzes the state of the current “standoff” with cancer. While noting advances in science and prevention that have improved childhood cancer survival rates and reduced the prevalence of some cancers, Johnson describes the biological patterns that increase the likelihood that cancer will develop as life expectancy improves, as well as the obstacles that remain in fighting the war on cancer. Read more here.

Read the full article here.

Jevtana (cabazitaxel) - Potential for medication errors during preparation leading to overdose

Sanofi-aventis Canada Inc., in consultation with Health Canada, would like to bring to your attention the potential for medication errors leading to overdose in the preparation of JEVTANA® (cabazitaxel), and the importance of ensuring that the entire content of the diluent is added to the concentrate vial during reconstitution. JEVTANA® (cabazitaxel) in combination with prednisone or prednisolone is indicated for the treatment of patients with castration resistant (hormone refractory) metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel containing regimen. Read more here.

The study that helped spur the U.S. stop-smoking movement

To address the criticism of previous retrospective studies – and to strengthen the evidence that smoking is a cause of lung cancer – E. Cuyler Hammond, Ph.D., and Daniel Horn, Ph.D., scientists working for the American Cancer Society, published what they called “preliminary” findings. Their conclusion was clear: “It was found that men with a history of regular cigarette smoking have a considerably higher death rate than men who have never smoked or men who have smoked only cigars or pipes,” the researchers wrote. Read more here.

Article mentioned: Brawley OW, et al. The first surgeon general's report on smoking and health: The 50th anniversary. CA Cancer J Clin. 2013 Nov 18. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24249254

Original article mentioned: Hammond EC, Horn D. The relationship between human smoking habits and death rates: a follow-up study of 187,766 men. J Am Med Assoc. 1954 Aug 7;155(15):1316-28. PMID: 13174399

Rates drop for new lung cancer cases in the US

Anti-tobacco efforts have led to a decrease in the rate of new lung cancer cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study looked at rates from 2005 to 2009, the latest year for which data is available. The study found that the rate of new lung cancer cases for all age groups combined declined 2.6% per year among men and 1.1% per year among women. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Henley JS, et al. Lung cancer incidence trends among men and women - United States, 2005-2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014 Jan 10;63(1):1-5. PMID: 24402465

Testicular cancer incidence to rise by 25% by 2025 in Europe?

A paper led by scientists of the International Agency for Research on Cancer predicts there will be 23,000 new cases of testicular cancer annually in Europe by 2025, a rise of 24% from 2005. The predictions are based on an extrapolation of recent trends in recorded incidence from high-quality population-based cancer registries in Europe using age-period-cohort models. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Le Cornet C, et al. Testicular cancer incidence to rise by 25% by 2025 in Europe? Model-based predictions in 40 countries using population-based registry data. Eur J Cancer. 2013 Dec 23. pii: S0959-8049(13)01054-X. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24369860

Nano-capsules show potential for more potent chemoprevention

Researchers at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University have discovered a more effective drug delivery system using nanotechnology that could one day significantly affect cancer prevention. The study involved the use of microscopic amounts of the naturally occurring antioxidant, luteolin, that were encapsulated in a water-soluble polymer. When injected into mice the nano-luteolin inhibited growth of lung cancer and head and neck cancer cells. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Majumdar D, et al. Luteolin nanoparticle in chemoprevention: in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity.Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2014 Jan;7(1):65-73. PMID: 24403290

Researchers at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center discover ovarian cancer biomarker

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have identified a microRNA biomarker that shows promise in predicting treatment response in the most common form of ovarian cancer – a breakthrough that has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with the disease. A CWRU research team led by Analisa DiFeo, an assistant professor of General Medical Science-Oncology at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, found that the biomarker miR-181a is a molecular driver of epithelial ovarian cancer. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Parikh A, et al. microRNA-181a has a critical role in ovarian cancer progression through the regulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Nat Commun. 2014 Jan 7;5:2977. PMID: 24394555

Pitt study finds mechanism for increased activity of oncogene in head and neck cancers

The increased activation of a key oncogene in head and neck cancers could be the result of mutation and dysfunction of regulatory proteins that are supposed to keep the gene, which has the potential to cause cancer, in check, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings suggest a new target for drugs to treat head and neck tumors, as well as other cancers. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Wai Yan Lui V, et al. Frequent mutation of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases provides a mechanism for STAT3 hyperactivation in head and neck cancer. PNAS 2014 ; published ahead of print January 6, 2014.

Cancer prevention guidelines pay off for older women

A study conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health on almost 66,000 women between the ages of 50 and 79 indicates that those adhering to the American Cancer Society's Nutrition and Physical Activity Cancer Prevention Guidelines "had a 17% lower risk of cancer, a 20% lower risk of cancer-related death, and a 27% lower risk of death from all causes."  According to study author Cynthia Thomson, professor of public health at the University of Arizona in Tucson, eating a healthy balanced diet, regular exercise, avoiding and/or limiting alcohol and refraining from smoking all contribute to reducing cancer risk.

To read more about this study click here.

Study mentioned: Thomson C et al. Nutrition and physical activity cancer prevention guidelines, cancer risk, and mortality in the women's health initiative. Cancer Prev Res. 2014 Jan. 7; 42.

ASCO issues annual clinical cancer advances report on progress against cancer

ASCO has published a comprehensive review of progress in clinical cancer research that has come to fruition in 2013. The report highlights advances across the entire continuum of cancer care, from prevention to treatment and survivorship, and covers a broad range of cancer subspecialties. It also documents U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals of new anticancer agents, clinical practice guidelines, and policy priorities that are likely to influence cancer care delivery in the near-term. Read more here.

Read the full report, Clinical Cancer Advances 2013: ASCO’s Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer, here.

Personalised medicine in melanoma

ESMO met with Prof. Reinhard Dummer, a Vice-chairman of the Department of Dermatology in the Cancer Unit at University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland to discuss on how deeper understanding of molecular biology is relevant for treatment decision in patients with diverse group of melanomas, progress in research of biomarkers, diagnostics and clinical benefit observed from the latest treatment advances. Read the short interview here.

50 years of anti-smoking efforts have saved 8 million lives

Researchers from Yale University and colleagues estimate that 8 million deaths have been avoided since the first US Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health in 1964. The researchers created a model to compare actual national death rates from 1964 – 2012 with the estimated death rates if anti-tobacco efforts had not taken place. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Holford TR, et al. Tobacco Control and the Reduction in Smoking-Related Premature Deaths in the United States, 1964-2012. JAMA. 2014;311(2):164-171.

Recurrent ovarian cancers respond to cancer vaccine after “reprogramming” with decitabine

Treatment with the drug decitabine prior to administration of chemotherapy and a cancer vaccine yielded clinical benefit for women with recurrent ovarian cancer, suggesting that this combinatorial chemoimmunotherapy may provide a new treatment option for patients with this disease, according to a study published in Cancer Immunology Research. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Odunsi K, et al. Epigenetic Potentiation of NY-ESO-1 Vaccine Therapy in Human Ovarian Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res. January 2014; 2(1):37-49.

Cancer statistics report: deaths down 20% in 2 decades

Annual statistics reporting from the American Cancer Society shows the death rate from cancer in the US has declined steadily over the past 2 decades. The cancer death rate for men and women combined fell 20% from its peak in 1991 to 2010, the most recent year for which data is available. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Siegel R, et al. Cancer Statistics, 2014. CA Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Published early online January 7, 2014.

Biologicals in the treatment of haematological malignancies

ESMO met with Prof. Martin Dreyling of the University Clinic Munich, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany to discuss advances in the biological treatment of various haematological diseases, progress in the research of biomarkers, molecular techniques and advances in immunotherapy. Read the short interview here.

IARC Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans, vol 106 now available

The objective of the programme is to prepare, with the help of international Working Groups of experts, and to publish in the form of Monographs, critical reviews and evaluations of evidence on the carcinogenicity of a wide range of human exposures. The Monographs represent the first step in carcinogen risk assessment, which involves examination of all relevant information to assess the strength of the available evidence that an agent could alter the age-specific incidence of cancer in humans. Read more here.

Download the full document here.

NCCS 2013 quality cancer care timeline of accomplishments

In 2013, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) represented the patient perspective in national meetings, convened policy experts and thought leaders, submitted comments on federal policies, developed tools to address gaps in cancer care planning, advocated for quality cancer care, and championed legislation that would give Medicare beneficiaries access to cancer care planning and coordination. This timeline highlights accomplishments from the past year. Read more here.

UTSW study identifies potential therapeutic target for incurable, rare type of soft-tissue cancer

A deadly, rare type of soft-tissue cancer may be completely eradicated simply by inhibiting a key protein involved in its growth, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report. In the study, scientists found that inhibiting the action of a protein called BRD4 caused cancer cells to die in a mouse model of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). Read more here.

Study mentioned: Patel AJ, et al. BET Bromodomain Inhibition Triggers Apoptosis of NF1-Associated Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors through Bim Induction. Cell Rep. 2013 Dec 24. pii: S2211-1247(13)00731-6. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24373973

Surgery beats chemotherapy for tongue cancer, U-M study finds

Patients with tongue cancer who started their treatment with a course of chemotherapy fared significantly worse than patients who received surgery first, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Chinn SB, et al. Efficacy of Induction Selection Chemotherapy vs Primary Surgery for Patients With Advanced Oral Cavity Carcinoma. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013 Dec 26. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24370563

Breast cancer patients experience fewer side effects from anticancer drug when receiving acupuncture

A new analysis has found that both real and sham acupuncture treatments may help alleviate side effects of drugs commonly used to treat breast cancer. Published early online in Cancer, the findings may help clinicians improve care for cancer patients. The results also raise the question of whether sham acupuncture is truly inert or may, like real acupuncture, have beneficial effects. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Bao T, et al. Patient-reported outcomes in women with breast cancer enrolled in a dual-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial assessing the effect of acupuncture in reducing aromatase inhibitor-induced musculoskeletal symptoms. Cancer. 2013 Dec 23. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24375332

Gene therapy method targets tumor blood vessels

Working in mice, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report developing a gene delivery method long sought in the field of gene therapy: a deactivated virus carrying a gene of interest that can be injected into the bloodstream and make its way to the right cells. In this early proof-of-concept study, the scientists have shown that they can target tumor blood vessels in mice without affecting healthy tissues. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Lu ZH, et al. Transcriptional targeting of primary and metastatic tumor neovasculature by an adenoviral type 5 roundabout4 vector in mice. PLoS One. 2013 Dec 23;8(12):e83933. PMID: 24376772

Personalised medicine in carcinoma of unknown primary

The ESMO met with Prof. Karim Fizazi of the Department of Medicine, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villeiuif, France to discuss on how personalised medicine can improve the treatment of patients with carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP), molecular profiling and assays for tissue analysis, and how to demonstrate the effectiveness of molecular diagnostic tests. Read the short interview here.

Summary Basis of Decision for KADCYLA

Health Canada has issued a Notice of Compliance to Hoffmann-La Roche Limitedfor the drug product Kadcyla. Based on Health Canada's review, the benefit/risk profile of Kadcyla is favourable as a single agent for the treatment of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive, metastatic breast cancer who received both prior treatment with Herceptin (trastuzumab) and a taxane, separately or in combination. Patients should have either received prior therapy for metastatic disease, or developed disease recurrence during or within 6 months of completing adjuvant therapy. Read more here.

Revlimid (lenalidomide) - risk of liver problems

Celgene Inc., in collaboration with Health Canada, would like to inform you of important new safety information which has been added to the Product Monograph for REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) capsules. REVLIMID® is indicated in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) in patients who have received at least one prior therapy. Read more here.

Hints for personalised medicine in genitourinary cancers

The ESMO met with Dr Maria De Santis of the Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital, Vienna, Austria to discuss on how genetics is important in genitourinary cancers and about plethora of novel targeted therapies. In this short interview, she digs into current and future treatment outlook. Read more here.

FDA authorised first next-generation sequencer

The USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing authorisation for the first high-throughput (next-generation) genomic sequencer. Sequencing technologies have advanced dramatically, and today a human genome can be sequenced in about 24 hours for less than 5,000 USD. This is a rare example of technology development in which faster, cheaper, and better have coincided. With a platform that took nearly a decade to develop, clinicians can selectively look for an almost unlimited number of genetic changes. Read more here.

European Medicines Agency recommends granting a conditional marketing authorisation for cabozantinib for the treatment of medullary thyroid cancer

The European Medicines Agency Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a conditional marketing authorisation for the medicinal product cabozantinib (Cometriq) 20 mg and 80 mg hard capsules, intended for the treatment of medullary thyroid cancer, a rare type of thyroid cancer, that cannot be removed by surgery or that has spread to other parts of the body. Read more here.