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