Avastin for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer

CADTH pan-Canadian oncology drug review recently released its initial clinical guidance report for the use of avastin for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Along with the clinical review they have released the initial economic guidance report and the initial pERC recommendation.

Read the initial clinical guidance report here.
Read the initial economic guidance report here.
Read the initial pERC recommendations here.

Virtual reality glasses used during brain surgery for the first time

February 17, 2016 - In a world first, a patient in France undergoing brain surgery while conscious wore virtual reality glasses as doctors removed a cancerous tumour, the chief surgeon told AFP Tuesday.

"In creating a completely artificial world for the patient, we could map certain zones and connections of his brain related to functions that we could not, up to now, easily test on the operating table," Philippe Menei, a neurosurgeon at Angers hospital in western France, told AFP. The operation was performed on January 27, and the patient was recovering well, he said. Read more here.

Gastrointestinal cancer evidence-based series (EBS) and practice guidelines (PG)

February 22, 2016 - The Gastrointestinal Disease Site Group (GI DSG) produces evidence-based reports to assist practitioners and patients make decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances. The titles of the reports produced to date by the DSG are listed below, with links to the PDF versions of those reports. Read more here.

Differences in cancer survival in Canada by sex

On April 20, 2016 stats Canada released its report on the difference in cancer survival in Canada by sex. Based on data from the Canadian Cancer Registry, this report examines sex-specific differences in survival for all cancers combined and for 18 specific individual cancers or cancer groups. In addition to age-specific analyses, results are examined by time period of diagnosis.Read more here.

Pembrolizumab shows promise in patients with rare form of skin cancer

On April 19, 2016 in a small clinical trial, more than half of the patients with an aggressive form of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma responded to the drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), which strengthens the immune response against cancer. Overall, the responses have been longer-lasting than those typically seen in patients with this very rare cancer who have received chemotherapy.

The 26 patients in this phase II trial had an advanced form of the disease, and none had received prior systemic treatment. Among the 25 patients who could be evaluated, 14 patients (56 percent) had a complete or partial response, Paul Nghiem, M.D., Ph.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reported on April 19 at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in New Orleans. Read more here.

Watch this interactive video showing that Cancers can resist treatment by ‘stealing’ blood vessels from nearby tissues

Researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, published a new study on the 07 of April in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute showing that liver cancer can resist treatment by ‘stealing’ blood vessels from nearby tissues. Read more here.

On advance care planning day, it's time for Canadians to stop making excuses and get talking

I’m too busy. It’s bad luck. I’m too young. These are just a few of the reasons why Canadians avoid conversations with loved ones about what might happen if they couldn’t make medical decisions for themselves. On April 16, it’s time to start talking.

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association is leading National Advance Care Planning Day, an initiative of its year-round Speak Up Campaign, which encourages Canadians to reflect on and communicate their end-of-life wishes.Read more here.

Vitamin D deficiency may promote spread of some breast cancers

On April 14, 2016, a new study suggests that a deficiency in vitamin D is associated with tumor progression and metastasis in breast cancer.

The study, primarily conducted using cell lines and mice, also identified an association between vitamin D levels and the expression of ID1, an oncogene that has been associated with tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer and other cancer types. Read more here.

Nanoparticle generator slips chemotherapypast tumor cells’ protective barriers

On April 11, 2016 researchers have developed and tested a new injectable nanoparticle-generating technology that can deliver doxorubicin (Adriamycin®), a commonly used chemotherapy drug, straight to the nucleus of metastatic breast cancer cells with high effectiveness.

In the study, the treatment approach led to complete remissions in mice with a hard-to-treat form of breast cancer. The findings appeared in Nature Biotechnology on March 14. The research team that led the study hopes to start testing the treatment in human clinical trials by the end of 2017. Read more here.

More is not always better in cancer care: Partnership report

A new report from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer looking into whether Canadian patients receive appropriate cancer care shows Canadian cancer patients undergo an estimated 770,000 interventions each year that may be of low value or expose them to unnecessary harm. Read more here.

Sunitinib and sorafenib ineffective as adjuvant therapies for kidney cancer

On April 8, 2016 results from a recent clinical trial show that adjuvant therapy with sunitinib (Sutent®) or sorafenib (Nexavar®) does not improve progression-free survival for patients with renal cell (kidney) cancer and may cause serious side effects.

Both sunitinib and sorafenib target proteins on cancer cells that promote tumor angiogenesis—the formation of new blood vessels that are needed to fuel tumor growth beyond a certain size. Read more here.

Drug combination shrinks duodenal polyps in people with familial adenomatous polyposis

On April 7, 2016 a small clinical trial of people with an inherited condition that greatly increases the risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers, a two-drug combination has been shown to shrink duodenal polyps, precursor lesions for cancer, raising the possibility that the regimen could lower the risk of duodenal cancer.

In the randomized trial, patients with the condition, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), who took erlotinib (Tarceva®) and sulindac (Aflodac®) had far fewer precancerous polyps in the duodenum—the first section of the small intestine, just beyond the stomach—than patients who took placebo. Read more here.

NICE develops a medtech innovation briefing on selective internal radiation therapy

On March 2016 NICE announced that it has developed a medtech innovation briefing (MIB) on SIR Spheres for treating inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma. SIR Spheres are a form of selective internal radiation therapy consisting of resin microspheres containing radioactive yttrium 90.

They are designed to be used to treat patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma. SIR Spheres can also be used to downstage tumours for resection or liver transplantation, or as a bridge to transplantation. SIR Spheres deliver radiation directly to tumours through the hepatic artery, which limits damage to normal liver cells. Read more here.

Shorter, intensive radiation for prostate cancer

Researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute in Durham, North Carolina have unveiled a new study indicating that slightly higher radiation doses for early stage prostate cancer "may reduce treatment time without compromising effectiveness." The study consist of 1,100 men with early stage prostate cancer; half of the patients received a traditional radiotherapy regiment over 8 weeks, while half received slightly higher doses over 5.5 weeks.  According to lead investigator Dr. W. Robert Lee, "the shorter regimen has advantages such as greater patient convenience and lower costs", as indicated over a 5-year period. (an 86% vs. 85% cancer-free survival rate)

To read more about this study, click here.

Blocking calcium transfer may selectively kill cancer cells

On March 31, 2016, a new study shows that blocking the transfer of calcium ions (Ca2+) into mitochondria is toxic to cancer cells and impairs growth of tumors in mice, while sparing normal cells.

All cells use calcium ions as signaling agents to regulate metabolism and other cellular functions. Blocking the flow of calcium into mitochondria, which are the chief producers of energy-rich ATP molecules in cells, created an energy “crisis” from which normal cells could recover but cancer cells could not, the study showed. Read more here.

A new assay detects MET phosphorylation in tumor biopsies

March 31, 2016 - MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor) is a trans-membrane, tyrosine kinase receptor whose aberrant signaling is implicated in cancer growth, progression, and metastasis. Currently, many drugs are in development that target MET kinase signaling; however, until now, no assay has been available to effectively measure MET pharmacodynamics directly in core biopsies of tumors, which is a critical capability for proof of mechanism studies to confirm intended drug action in patients. Read more here.

New strategy for treating advanced ovarian cancer shows promise in mice

On March 28, 2016 an experimental strategy for treating advanced ovarian cancer has caused tumor regression in animal models, according to a new study. The strategy uses a protein fragment, or peptide, to stimulate normal cells in the tissues surrounding cancer cells—the tumor microenvironment—to block the growth of the cancer cells. Read more here.

Combined inhibition of DDR1 and notch signalling for KRAS-driven lung adenocarcinoma

On March 25, 2016 new research shows that studying tumours early in development can reveal therapeutic targets that can boost the efficacy of treatments administered later in disease progression.

Patients with advanced Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)-mutant lung adenocarcinoma are currently treated with standard chemotherapy because of a lack of efficacious targeted therapies. In a translational research study, a group of Spanish investigators from the Experimental Oncology, Molecular Oncology Programme, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain reasoned that the identification of mediators of Kras signalling in early mouse lung hyperplasias might bypass the difficulties that are imposed by intratumour heterogeneity in advanced tumours, and that it might unveil relevant therapeutic targets. Read more here.

Crizotinib approval expanded for advanced lung cancer

One March 22, 2016 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the approved uses of the targeted therapy crizotinib (Xalkori®) for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The new approval is for the treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC whose tumors have alterations—known as rearrangements—in the ROS1 gene. Crizotinib was originally approved for patients with advanced NSCLC whose tumors have similar alterations in the ALK gene. Read more here.

New guideline addresses long-term needs of head and neck cancer survivors

On March 22, 2016 a new American Cancer Society guideline provides clinicians with recommendations on key areas of clinical follow-up care for survivors of head and neck cancer, a growing population numbering approximately 436,060 and accounting for 3% of all cancer survivors living in the United States.

Head and neck cancer will account for an estimated 61,760 new cancer cases in the United States in 2016, and long-term survival is increasingly common in this population. Tobacco use and alcohol consumption together account for an estimated three out of four cases of head and neck cancer. Human papillomavirus is also a risk factor, accounting for as many as seven out of ten oropharyngeal cancers. Read more here.

Calgary sleep study aims to help young cancer survivors sleep better

On March 18, 2015 a new study takes a look at bad sleep patterns developed during treatment making kids feel exhausted and socially isolated years later. This study is unique because it examines sleep patterns in short-term survivors, who are between two and seven years off their therapy.Past studies have documented broken sleep patterns in those who are 15 to 20 years past treatment, as well as those who are newly diagnosed. Researchers are looking for children between the ages of 8-18 who have had leukemia, as well as healthy children for a comparison group. They hope to enroll 100 families, 50 for each group. Read more here and here.

Evaluation of a single metastasis in metastatic prostate cancer

By analysing an intraindividual molecular diversity of metastatic prostate cancer, the researchers discovered that although exceptions exist, evaluation of a single metastasis provides a reasonable assessment of the major oncogenic driver alterations that are present in disseminated tumours within an individual, and thus may be useful for selection of treatments on the basis of predicted molecular vulnerabilities. The study results are published in the Nature Medicine. Read more here.

Why some tumors withstand treatment: researchers uncover a mechanism that allows cancer cells to evade targeted therapies

March 16, 2016 - A new study from MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital reveals why a certain class of these drugs, known as kinase inhibitors, doesn’t always halt tumor growth. The researchers found that while kinase inhibitors successfully shut down their targets, they also provoke cells to turn on a backup system that can take over for the one knocked out by the drug. Read more here.

FDA expands use of crizotinib in advanced NSCLC

On 11 March, 2016 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved crizotinib (Xalkori) to treat patients with advanced (metastatic) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumours have a ROS-1 gene abnormality. Crizotinib is the first and only FDA approved treatment for patients with ROS-1 positive NSCLC. Read more here.

Special current oncology supplement augments evidence base for cancer economics

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer is proud to collaborate with Current Oncology to present a special supplement on Canada-specific cancer costing and economic evaluation research.

Our unique health care system requires specifically Canadian studies to effectively evaluate cost differences and variability in individual interventions, care pathways and cancer care systems. Economic research is highly useful for identifying good value and high quality care, but there is an acute shortage of Canada-specific evidence available. As a result, decision makers cannot accurately assess the impact of new processes, practices and technologies to make decisions of most benefit to Canadians.

The Current Oncology supplement helps fill this gap by showcasing the work of researchers focused on answering questions pertinent to Canadian cancer control. Read more here.

Novel strategy isolates immune cells in the blood that recognize melanoma

On March 11, 2016, scientists in NCI’s Center for Cancer Research (CCR) have developed a novel strategy for identifying tumor-reactive and mutation-specific immune cells circulating in the blood of patients with melanoma.

Patients with metastatic melanoma have experienced dramatic tumor regressions in early clinical trials of adoptive cell transfer—a technique in which immune cells are collected from patients, expanded in the laboratory, and infused back into patients to attack the cancer. However, to date, these immune cells have been harvested only from solid tumor tissue, a process that requires invasive surgery and is not always possible. Read more here.

Targeted radiation promising for early breast cancer

A new study conducted at the Institute of Cancer Research in London has indicated that targeted radiation therapy for women with early stage breast cancer may be just as effective as standard radiation treatment.  While this particular study only tracked women for 5 years, study co-author Dr. John Yarnold, professor of clinical oncology states that the research "contributes to a growing body of evidence that a large proportion of women over 50 years old with small breast cancers can avoid whole breast radiotherapy."

To read more about this study, click here.

Missed radiation therapy sessions increase risk of cancer recurrence

On February 26 2016, A new study has shown that patients who miss radiation therapy sessions during cancer treatment have an increased risk of their disease returning, even if they eventually complete their course of radiation treatment.

The magnitude of the effect was higher than the researchers anticipated, which they believe suggests that noncompliance with radiation therapy may be an indicator for other risk factors that could negatively affect outcomes. Read more here.

BRCA testing rates high in young women with breast cancer

According to a new study on March 2, 2016, testing for genetic mutations strongly associated with an increased breast cancer risk has risen dramatically among women younger than age 40 who are diagnosed with the disease.

Overall, within a year of their diagnosis, 87 percent of the women in the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Study were tested for mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Read more here.

A pragmatic trial of ambulatory toxicity management in patients receiving ddjuvant or neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer

Last updated February 28 2016, this trail is a comparison of the number of ER plus hospital visits that occurred during chemotherapy between the telephone intervention and control arms. Using a pragmatic cluster-randomized trial design, 20 Ontario cancer centres that provide care to patients with breast cancer will be randomly allocated to one of two arms: pro-active telephone toxicity management (intervention), or control (routine care). Read more about the trial here.