Health Canada has approved DARZALEX® (daratumumab) for patients with multiple myeloma who have had at least one prior therapy

TORONTO, April 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Janssen Inc. announced today that Health Canada has approved DARZALEX® (daratumumab), in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. Due to the high unmet medical need for multiple myeloma patients, DARZALEX® was granted a Priority Review by Health Canada for this submission.

Data from two Phase 3 studies supported this new approval. They include the open-label, randomized clinical studies POLLUX (MMY3003) and CASTOR (MMY3004). POLLUX was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, with an accompanying editorial, in October 20167; and CASTOR was published in The New England Journal of Medicine in August 2016.

Studies mentioned:
Dimopoulos, M. A., Oriol, A., Nahi, H., San-Miguel, J., Bahlis, N. J., Usmani, S. Z., . . . Moreau, P. (2016). Daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone for multiple myeloma. N Engl J Med, 375(14), 1319-1331. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1607751

Palumbo, A., Chanan-Khan, A., Weisel, K., Nooka, A. K., Masszi, T., Beksac, M., . . . Sonneveld, P. (2016). Daratumumab, bortezomib, and dexamethasone for multiple myeloma. N Engl J Med, 375(8), 754-766. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1606038

Higher prostate cancer risks for black men may warrant new approach to screening

A new study indicates that higher prostate cancer death rates among black men in the US may be due to a higher risk of developing preclinical prostate cancer as well as a higher risk of that cancer progressing more quickly to advanced stages. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study suggests that screening policies may need to be tailored to the higher-risk status of this population.

Study mentioned:
"Is prostate cancer different in black men? Answers from three natural history models." Alex Tsodikov, Roman Gulati, Tiago M. de Carvalho, Eveline A. M. Heijnsdijk, Rachel A. Hunter-Merrill, Angela B. Mariotto, Harry J. de Koning, and Ruth Etzioni. CANCER; Published Online: April 24, 2017 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30687).
URL Upon Publication.

Malaria parasite could treat cancer

A new study being conducted at the University of British Columbia indicates that a malaria parasite may be able to treat bladder cancer in patients who do not respond favourably to traditional chemotherapy.  According to Mads Daugaard, professor of urologic science, the treatment, "utilizing a combination of malaria protein with a marine sponge toxin" has proven to be 80% effective on mice tested.  While considerable more testing is required on humans, this new finding does bring hope, as bladder cancer kills more than 2,000 Canadians each year.

To read more about the study, click here:

Breast milk tests may one day replace mammograms

A preliminary study conducted at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, scientists have discovered "alterations in protein expression in the breast milk of women with breast cancer compared to women without breast cancer."  According to study author Roshanak Aslebagh, the proteins may indicate potential biomarkers of breast cancer and serve as a viable breast cancer screening mechanism for women under the age of 40.  As the study authors further note, "breast milk analysis may someday offer an alternative to mammograms for women in their childbearing years."

To read more about this study, click here.

Avelumab: first FDA-approved treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on March 23 approved the immunotherapy drug avelumab for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) — a rare, aggressive form of skin cancer — for adults and patients 12 years of age and older. Avelumab, marketed as Bavencio, is the first FDA-approved treatment for MCC.

Avelumab is an antibody that targets programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), a protein found on several types of tumors. PD-L1 binds T cells, white blood cells that defend against disease. This inactivates the T cells and allows tumor cells to avoid immune attack. Avelumab binds to PD-L1, preventing the T cells from being switched off so they can still attack tumor cells.

To read more about avelumab, click here.

World Cancer Day 2017 Impact Report

The World Cancer Day 2017 Impact Report has now been released.  This document focuses on the activities that took place in more than 100 countries on February 4, 2017, focusing on government actions, municipalities, businesses, communities, and individuals with regards to the impact of cancer.

Click here to read the report.

Survival continues to improve for most cancers

According to a new report published by the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Research Program, overall cancer death rates continue to fall.  Between 2010-2014, death rates decreased for 11 out of 16 common cancers in man, and 13 out of 16 common cancers in women.  These included cancer of the lung, colon, prostate, and breast.  However, death rates for liver, pancreas and brain cancer in women, along with liver and uterus cancers in women continue to rise.

To read more about this report, click here.