Doxorubicin/Sorafenib combo fails in frontline phase III study

Upfront treatment with the combination of doxorubicin and sorafenib (Nexavar) did not improve overall survival (OS) compared with sorafenib alone for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Additionally, the combination was associated with increased toxicity, according to results from the phase III CALGB 80802 trial presented at the 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Read more here.

Reference:
Abou-Alfa GK, Niedzwieski D, Knox JJ, et al. Phase III randomized study of sorafenib plus doxorubicin versus sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): CALGB 80802 (Alliance). J Clin Oncol. 2016;34 (suppl; abstr 4003).

Promising initial trial of immunotherapy agent in anal cancer

A study of nivolumab (Opdivo) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCA), which recently presented findings at the 2016 World Congress on Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer, is the first prospective trial to examine immunotherapy agents in the treatment of SCCA.

Approximately 80% to 95% of cases are linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. "The role of HPV in the tumorigenesis of SCCA provides rationale for the use of immune checkpoint agents as a novel therapy for patients with a virally driven disease." noted lead author Cathy Eng, MD, professor of gastrointestinal medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and co-leader of MD Anderson's HPV-related Cancer Moon Shot.

Please read more here.

New trial alert: Topical Brimonidine Tartrate on intraocular pressure of patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy

A new clinical trial sponsored by the University Health Network in Toronto is presently recruiting patients with prostate cancer for a prospective study aimed at evaluating the effect of preoperative treatment with topical Brimonidine Tartrate on ontraocular pressure.  For patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, the goal of this trial is to prevent "intraocular pressure spike thereby reducing risk of postperative vision loss."

To read more about this trial, click here.

Adjuvant combination therapy improves survival in pancreatic cancer

June 16, 2016 - The results from the ESPAC-4, a multicenter, international, open-label randomised controlled phase III trial of adjuvant combination chemotherapy of gemcitabine / capecitabine versus monotherapy gemcitabine in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma show a statistically significant 2.5 months improvement in survival in favour of combination regimen. The results were presented in the oral abstract session on Gastrointestinal (Noncolorectal) Cancer by Dr John Neoptolemos during the ASCO Annual Meeting 2016 (3-7 June, Chicago US).

Gemcitabine is the standard of care in this setting. Previously, the ESPAC-3 trial compared adjuvant gemcitabine with 5-fluorouracil / folinic acid (5-FU/FA) for resected pancreatic cancer; gemcitabine regimen achieved similar survival with less toxicity. ESPAC-4 aimed to determine whether combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine / capecitabine improve survival compared to gemcitabine alone. Read more here.

Blood test for genetic changes in tumors shows promise as alternative to tumor biopsy

June 15, 2016 - In the largest study of its kind to date, a test that assesses DNA mutations and other changes in genetic material shed from tumors into the blood—a so-called liquid biopsy—produced results highly similar to those of traditional tumor biopsies.

The patterns of genomic changes identified by the test in a large collection of patient blood samples largely matched patterns of genetic changes seen in large tumor biopsy profiling studies, researchers reported last weekExit Disclaimer at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago. Read more here.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence UK issues new guidance for cabazitaxel

June 14, 2016 - Cabazitaxel for hormone-relapsed metastatic prostate cancer treated with docetaxel. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) UK published on 25 May 2016 the evidence-based recommendations on cabazitaxel (Jevtana) for patients with prostate cancer that has relapsed after the treatment with docetaxel. The guidance TA391 replaces NICE technology appraisal guidance on cabazitaxel for hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen (TA255). It does not cover the use of cabazitaxel for patients who have had docetaxel and then abiraterone, enzalutamide or radium 223 dichloride. Read more here.

Trials produce practice-changing results for brain cancer

June 9, 2016 - The standard treatment that some patients with brain cancer receive is likely to change, based on findings from two large clinical trials presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago this week.

Both trials showed that administering the chemotherapy drug temozolomide (Temodar®) in addition to radiation therapy increased how long patients lived overall and without their disease progressing. The trial investigators and other leading brain cancer researchers agreed that the results of the two trials will change the standard of care. Read more here.

FDA approves new immunotherapy drug for bladder cancer

June 7, 2016 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 18 approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) for the treatment of some patients with urothelial carcinoma, the most common type of bladder cancer. The drug, which strengthens the body’s immune response against cancer, is the first new treatment approved for bladder cancer in two decades.

“This is very exciting news for patients with bladder cancer,” said Piyush Agarwal, M.D., head of the Bladder Cancer Section in the NCI Center for Cancer Research's (CCR) Urologic Oncology Branch, who noted that the approval would likely open “a wave of new clinical trials” for patients with bladder cancer.

Double stem cell transplant may help fight childhood cancer

A new study conducted at the University of Washington School of Medicine indicates that children afflicted with neuroblastoma hay have a better chance of survival upon receiving a double stem cell transplant.  According to lead researcher Dr. Julie Park, 61% of children receiving the double transplant remained alive 3 years after diagnosis, compared to 48% who received only a single transplant.

To read more about this study, click here.

Patient-derived antibody appears to selectively target tumor cells

June 6, 2016 - Researchers have developed an antibody, derived from patients with early-stage lung cancer, that enlists the immune system to destroy cancer cells.

The antibody killed tumor cells in cell lines of several different cancer types and slowed tumor growth in mouse models of brain and lung cancer without obvious evidence of side effects, the researchers reported May 5 in Cell Reports. Read more here.

Two new therapies approved by FDA for advanced kidney cancer

On April 15 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved two drugs for the treatment of patients with advanced kidney cancer. Both approvals are for patients whose cancers have progressed after receiving prior treatment with drugs that block tumor blood vessel growth, known as antiangiogenic therapies.

The agency approved cabozantinib (Cabometyx™), and on May 13 it approved lenvatinib (Lenvima®) in combination with everolimus (Afinitor®). Read more here.

Enhanced risk-based lung cancer screening may prevent more deaths than current approaches

June 3, 2016 - NCI researchers have developed a risk model-based approach for selecting smokers and former smokers who may be candidates for lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (CT). Using data from two lung cancer screening studies and a U.S. health survey, the researchers estimated that the new approach might prevent more deaths from lung cancer over 5 years than would current screening recommendations. Read more here.

Colorectal cancer survival linked to primary tumor location

June 02, 2016 - In patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, the location in the colon where the tumor originated appears to strongly influence how long patients live, according to a new study.

The studyExit Disclaimer—a retrospective analysis of data from a large NCI-funded phase III clinical trial—found that patients whose cancer originated in the left side of the colon (distal colon) lived more than a year longer after initial treatment than patients whose disease originated in the right side of the colon (proximal colon). Read more here.

Sunscreen gene may guard against skin cancer

A new study conducted at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine has identified a "sunscreen" gene that may protect against skin cancer.  According to senior study author Chengyu Liang, the UV-resistant gene was discovered following a study on 340 patients with melanoma.  Liang further explains that this gene "may serve as a biomarker for skin cancer prevention, and lead to new drugs to combat a cancer that leads to more than 10,000 deaths in United States each year.

To read more about this study, click here

HIV-positive patients more likely to lack cancer treatment

May 17, 2016 –A new study finds HIV-infected patients with cancer in the United States appear to be less likely to receive cancer treatment, regardless of insurance and other existing health conditions. The study, by researchers at the University of Utah, National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, appears early online in Cancer.

Cancer is an increasingly common cause of morbidity and mortality among individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In the United States, cancer incidence rates in this population have increased since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Cancer is now the second most common cause of death among HIV-infected individuals, after AIDS-related deaths. Read more here.

Anti-proliferative effect and predictive biomarkers to palbociclib in early breast cancer

May 12, 2016 - In this study, the investigators from the Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France aimed to identify if short-term preoperative palbociclib is associated with decreased proliferation and early biomarker changes in patients with early breast cancer. Untreated patients were randomised 3:1 to oral palbociclib 125 mg daily for 2 weeks until the day before the surgery vs no treatment.

Short-term preoperative palbociclib treatment in patients with early breast cancer significantly decreased Ki67; this effect depended on molecular subtypes and correlated with changes in pRB, suggesting that activity of palbociclib could be the main determinant of its short-term effect on proliferation. Read more here.

Canine research may offer clues to human brain cancer

A new study conducted at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences indicates that dogs may aid in discovering the genetics behind malignant brain tumour in humans.  According to study co-lead Katarina Truve, certain dog breeds, "such as Boxers, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers, have a higher risk for gliomas."  Two genes in particular have been identified as having links to cancer.

To read more about this study, published May 12 in PLOS Genetics, click here.

Breast cancer genes may play a role in prostate cancer

According to three new studies, risk of developing aggressive and lethal prostate cancer "may be heavily influenced by gene mutations previously linked to breast and ovarian cancer in women." Thus, men in families with a history of breast cancer should undergo more intensive prostate cancer screening.  According to one study, men carrying the BRCA2 gene mutation found in breast cancer were 4 times more likely to already exhibit an advanced stage of prostate cancer when diagnosed.

To read more about the findings from these studies, click here.

Analysis of rare endocrine cancer reveals novel genetic alterations

May 8, 2016 - In the most comprehensive molecular characterization to date of adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer of the adrenal cortex, researchers extensively analyzed 91 cases for alterations in the tumor genomes. They identified several novel genetic mutations as likely mechanisms driving the disease. They also found that whole genome doubling, wherein a cell has one or more extra sets of chromosomes, as a probable driver of the disease. Read more here.

Mentioned study: Thomas J. Giordano, Roel G.W. Verhaak Comprehensive Pan-Genomic Characterization of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cancer Cell 29(5) p723–736, 9 May 2016

After rising for decades, thyroid cancer incidence stabilizes

May 6, 2016 - After rising steadily for decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States may have stabilized, according to a new study. Although still increasing, the number off new cases has risen at a much slower rate in recent years than in the past.

The incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States began to rise during the early 1990s, with incidence in 2013 triple that of 30 years earlier. But the new analysis found that incidence began to level off in 2009 and remained relatively stable through 2012.

Mentioned study: Changing Luc G. T. Morris, MD, MSc1; R. Michael Tuttle, MD2; Louise Davies, MD, Trends in the Incidence of Thyroid Cancer in the United States JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Published online April 14, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2016.0230

Disparities in gut microbiome could lead to biomarkers for estrogen-driven breast cancer

May 5, 2016 - Disparities in the gut microbiome between healthy people and women with estrogen-driven breast cancer may indicate possible biomarkers based on the microbiome that could help to mitigate the risk of certain cancers.

The estrobolome is the gut bacterial genes that are capable of metabolizing estrogens in gut bacteria. Residential microbes, whose population includes bacteria, viruses, Archaea, and Eukaryotes, are increasingly recognized for playing important roles in health and disease. Read more here.

Venetoclax approved for some patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

On May 4, 2016 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved venetoclax (Venclexta®) for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) whose tumors have a specific genetic alteration.

The accelerated approval is for patients with CLL whose tumor cells are missing a portion of chromosome 17, commonly referred to as a 17p deletion, and who have received at least one prior therapy for their cancer. Read more here.

EMA recommends extending the authorised indications for obinutuzumab

On 28 April 2016, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion recommending a change to the terms of the marketing authorisation for the medicinal product obinutuzumab (Gazyvaro).The marketing authorisation holder for this medicinal product is Roche Registration Limited.

The CHMP adopted a new indication as follows: Follicular Lymphoma (FL)

Gazyvaro in combination with bendamustine followed by Gazyvaro maintenance is indicated for the treatment of patients with FL who did not respond or who progressed during or up to 6 months after treatment with rituximab or a rituximab-containing regimen. Read more here.

Elevated bladder cancer risk in New England and arsenic in drinking water from private wells

On May 2, 2016 A new study has found that drinking water from private wells, particularly dug wells established during the first half of the 20th century, may have contributed to the elevated risk of bladder cancer that has been observed in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont for over 50 years. Other risk factors for bladder cancer, such as smoking and occupational exposures, did not explain the excess risk in this region.

Bladder cancer mortality rates have been elevated in northern New England for over half a century. The incidence of bladder cancer in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont has been about 20 percent higher than that in the United States overall. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Baris D … Silverman DT, et al. Elevated Bladder Cancer in Northern New England: The Role of Drinking Water and Arsenic. May 2, 2016. JNCI. DOI: DJW099

Study links residential radon exposure to hematologic cancers in women

On April 28, 2016 a new report finds a statistically-significant, positive association between high levels of residential radon and the risk of hematologic (blood) cancer in women. The study is the first prospective, population-based study of residential radon exposure and hematologic cancer risk, leading the authors to caution that it requires replication to better understand the association and whether it truly differs by sex. It appears early online in Environmental Research. Read more here.

Cape Breton Cancer Centre introduces new breast cancer treatment method

The Cape Breton Cancer Centre is using a new technique called breath/hold to treat some breast cancer patients. It's a simple technique that requires the patient to take a deep breath and hold it for 20 to 30 seconds to allow a radiation beam to focus and more accurately hit its intended area.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority says the centre at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital is the first in Atlantic Canada to adopt the technique. "The heart comes very close to the chest wall and we are treating the chest wall, so when they hold their breath, it pushes the heart downwards and out of the radiation field," said Dr, Waseem Sharieff, a radiation oncologist at the centre. Read more here.

Bevacizumab, in combination with erlotinib, is indicated for first-line treatment of advanced non-squamous NSCLC with EGFR activating mutations

On 28 April 2016, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion recommending a change to the terms of the marketing authorisation for the medicinal product bevacizumab (Avastin). The marketing authorisation holder for this medicinal product is Roche Registration Limited.

The CHMP adopted a new indication as follows:

"Bevacizumab, in combination with erlotinib, is indicated for first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable advanced, metastatic or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) activating mutations." Read more here.

A new review shows that depression relapse prevention with mindfulness therapy is 'on par' with drugs

April 27, 2016 - People who've recovered from depression stave off relapses with mindfulness therapy as well as with antidepressants, a new review finds.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an eight-week group program that helps people become better observers of their own thoughts and emotions and to learn to distance themselves before ruminations spiral downwards.

An international team of psychiatry researchers combined data from nine randomized trials of 1,258 patients total with recurrent depression to compare the mindfulness therapy to placebo, treatment as usual and other active treatments including antidepressants. Read more here.

Read the review published in JAMA here.

Targeted photoimmunotherapy approach for cancer moves forward

On April 25, 2016 two new studies from NCI researchers add to growing evidence of the promise of a novel type of cancer immunotherapy that uses infrared light to activate rapid and selective killing of cancer cells.

One of the studies, presentedExit Disclaimer last week at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in New Orleans, showed that this approach, called near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT), could unleash immune activity against tumors in mice by depleting the tumor microenvironment of certain immune cells that act to restrain the immune response against tumors. Read more here.

New treatment target identified for key prostate cancer driver

On April 22, 2016 researchers have identified a potential alternative approach to blocking the activity of a key molecular driver of an advanced form of prostate cancer, called androgen-independent or castration-resistant prostate cancer.

In prostate cancer cell lines and in several mouse models of prostate cancer, treatment with drug-like small molecules that target a protein called ROR-γ disrupted the activity of the androgen receptor (AR), the researchers showed. Signaling through AR is the chief means by which prostate cancer cells grow and spread. Read more here.