Cell-free DNA in urine potential method for cancer detection

Researchers at Baylor University and Phoenix Children's Hospital have discovered a method whereby DNA fragments in urine can differentiate between healthy individuals and those with cancer.  According to study senior author Dr. Muhammed Murtaza, "certain regions of the genome are protected from fragmentation in urine from healthy individuals...but the same regions are more fragmented in patients with cancer." 

To learn more about this study click here. 

Study mentioned:  Havell Markus, Jun Zhao, Tania Contente-Cuomo, Michelle D. Stephens, Elizabeth Raupach, Ahuva Odenheimer-Bergman, Sydney Connor, Bradon R. McDonald, Bethine Moore, Elizabeth Hutchins, Marissa McGilvrey, Michelina C. de la Maza, Kendall Van Keuren-Jensen, Patrick Pirrotte, Ajay Goel, Carlos Becerra, Daniel D. Von Hoff, Scott A. Celinski, Pooja Hingorani, Muhammed Murtaza. Analysis of recurrently protected genomic regions in cell-free DNA found in urine. Science Translational Medicine, 2021; 13 (581): eaaz3088 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz3088

STINGing tumours with nanoparticles

 Researchers at UT Southwestern have determined that "a new nanoparticle-based drug can boost the body's innate immune system and make it more effective at fighting off tumors."  The study is the first to target and identify STING, an immune molecule with nanoparticles 1/1 000 000 the size of a soccer ball which has the ability to switch immune activity on or off according to the physiological environment. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Study mentioned: Suxin Li, Min Luo, Zhaohui Wang, Qiang Feng, Jonathan Wilhelm, Xu Wang, Wei Li, Jian Wang, Agnieszka Cholka, Yang-xin Fu, Baran D. Sumer, Hongtao Yu, Jinming Gao. Prolonged activation of innate immune pathways by a polyvalent STING agonist. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2021; DOI: 10.1038/s41551-020-00675-9

Breast cancer now most common form of cancer worldwide, according to the World Health Organization

According to recently statistics by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), breast cancer is now the mostly commonly-diagnosed cancer worldwide, ahead of lung cancer. 

A new global breast cancer initiative between the World Health Organization (WHO), the IARC,  and the International Atomic Energy Agency will be established later in 2021 to "reduce deaths from breast cancer by promoting breast health, improving timely cancer detection, and ensuring access to quality care." 

To read more about these latest trends, click here. 

Majority of patients with cancer are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19

 A recently conducted survey among ambulatory patients at four French cancer centres found that most patients undergoing treatment for their cancer wish to be vaccinated against COVID-19.  Study authors further confirmed that "patients with cancer have a variable but confirmed higher risk of severe COVID-19.  They advocate that patients with cancer should be a target population for vaccination, despite [being] excluded from the first trials."  Patients responding to the survey also believed that oncologists are qualified to provide guidance and advise regarding COVID-19 vaccination. 

To read more about this survey, click here. 

Study mentioned: 

Barrière J, Gal J, Hoch B, et al. Acceptance of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among French patients with cancer: a cross-sectional survey. Annals of Oncology; Published online 29 January 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2021.01.066

Wee1 inhibitor to treat ovarian cancer

 A new study conducted at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto reports on a randomized phase II trial indicating that the addition of the Wee1 inhibitor adavosertib to gemcitabone "reduced the risk of disease progression and death in women with recurrent, platinum-resistant or -refractory ovarian cancer."  The trial, conducted on 99 women between 2014-2018 showed a median overall survival increase of 4.2 months (11.4 vs. 7.2 months) in patients that were administered Wee1. 

To read more about this trial, click here. 

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COVID vaccines open door for cancer treatments

Two current covid-19 vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech  utilized an active ingredient, mana "to train the body's immune system to respond to infection."  According to Drew Weissman, professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, it is possible to customize mRNA vaccines to an individual patient's cancer, which could be the "tip of the iceberg for RNA therapies." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Canadian program to deploy cancer testing during XOVID-19 reaches key milestones

 Canexia Health, a Canadian cancer genomic program, has announced a new partnership with Project ACTT (Access to Cancer Testing & Treatment in Response to COVID-19), thus increasing the speed of cancer testing for targeted treatment "during the pandemic through a minimally invasive circulating tumor DNA test...as an alternative to some surgical tissue biopsies for patients with advanced lung, breast, or colorectal cancer."  

Since launching in July 2020, more than 800 Canadian cancer patients have been tested via Project ACTT, with the program expanding to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.  Further, 11% of samples received are from rural and remote areas where patients did not have access to urban academic research hospitals. 

To read more about this program, click here. 

Surgery could boost survival for women With advanced breast cancers

 A new study conducted at the Penn State Cancer Institute in Hershey, Pennsylvania, purports that "women with advanced breast cancer who undergo surgery to remove the tumor after chemotherapy or another type of systemic treatment may live longer than those who don't have surgery." Study author Dr. Daleela Dodge further explains that the surgery for metastatic breast cancer patients should be considered as a plausible alternative to systematic treatment, which is currently the standard of care offered to these patients. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

SOURCES: Daleela Dodge, MD, associate professor, surgery, Penn State Cancer Institute, Hershey, Pa.; Stephanie Bernik, MD, chief, breast service, Mount Sinai West Medical Center, New York City, and associate professor, surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City; Annals of Surgical Oncology, Oct. 30, 2020

Happy Holidays! Blog posting will resume in January 2021

 Dear Grey Horizon readers, 

While 2020 has undoubtedly been a difficult year, we nonetheless would like to wish you a happy and restful holiday season.  Blog posts will resume in January 2021. 

Happy Holidays! Stay safe and well 🎄

How do non-smokers develop lung cancer? Mouth bacteria may play a role

 New research has unveiled a correlation between a specific type of mouth bacteria and the development of lung cancer in those who have never smoked.  While 25% of all lung cancer patients are non-smokers, researchers now believe that exposure to second-hand smoke and family history are not the only risk factors.  Of the 135,000 individuals observed in this study, "having a wider number of different species of bacteria, specifically Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes, was associated with a lower risk of developing lung cancer, [while] higher volumes of Firmicutes species of bacteria in the mouth was associated with a heightened risk for lung cancer." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: Hosgood HD, Cai Q, Hua X, Long J, Shi J, Wan Y, Yang Y, Abnet C, Bassig BA, Hu W, Ji BT, Klugman M, Xiang Y, Gao YT, Wong JY, Zheng W, Rothman N, Shu XO, Lan Q. Variation in oral microbiome is associated with future risk of lung cancer among never-smokers. Thorax. 2020 Dec 14:thoraxjnl-2020-215542. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215542. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33318237.

COVID-19 vaccine and cancer

 A recent news release on the Cancer Research UK blog states that more than 300 potential vaccines have been in development since the COVID-19 outbreak in March.  Many of these vaccines are in the final stages of testing, with Pfizer commencing vaccine rollout across the United Kingdom yesterday (December 8, 2020).  

According to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JVCI), the recommended order of vaccination priority is: 

1. Older adults in a care home and care home workers
2. All those 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers
3. All those 75 years of age and over
4. All those 70 years of age and over and the clinically extremely vulnerable individuals, excluding pregnant women and those under 18 years of age
5. All those 65 years of age and over
6. Adults aged 18 to 65 years in an at-risk group
7. All those aged 60 and over
8. All those 55 and over
9. All those aged 50 and over

To read more about this press release, click here. 

First global estimates of cervical cancer attributable to HIV

 A recently completed study by the World Health Organization (WHO) determined that women with HIV have a considerably higher risk (up to 6 times more likely) of developing vertical cancer.  In fact, nearly "5% of all cervical cancer cases worldwide are attributable to HIV infection."  The WHO study, published as a systematic review and meta-analysis in the November 2016 issue of The Lancet Global Health, determined that 63.8% of women in Southern Africa diagnosed with cervical cancer were living with his, the highest rate of all 4 continents (Africa, Asia,, Europe, and North America) included in the study. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Biomarkers of pro-inflammatory response may identify cancer patients at risk of adverse outcomes from SARS-COV-2 infection

 First reported at the ESMO Asia Virtual Congress, held this past weekend (November 20-22, 2020), researchers in the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital in London, "investigators testing and validating several key biomarkers of inflammation to identify cancer patients at increased risk of mortality from COVID-19 found a significant association between these biomarkers and decreases overall survival."  Known as OnCovid, the study retrospectively analyzed 1,318 cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from February 27 - June 23, 2020 at 23 academic centres in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Belgium.  The findings determined that inflammation is a key factor in mortality from SARS-COV-2 for cancer patients and thus can be used "as beside tests to stratify patients at risk of poorer outcome from COVID-19." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Study mentioned: 319O – Dettorre G, Diamantis N, Loizidou A, et al. The systemic pro-inflammatory response identifies cancer patients with adverse outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection. ESMO Asia Virtual Congress 2020 (20-22 November).

WHO Europe factsheet: policy action needed to reduce cancers attributable to alcohol use

 A new factsheet released by the World Health Organization (WHO) focused on the need for greater awareness regarding alcohol use and cancers, specifically breast and colorectal.  The fact sheet states that alcohol consumption was responsible for 180 000 cancer cases and 92 000 deaths in Europe in 2018.  Several coat-effective policies, "such as increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages and restricting marketing and availability of alcohol" are suggested  as policies that can be implemented to curb this disturbing trend. 

To learn more about this factsheet, click here. 

Colorectal cancer rising among young adults

 Following a think tank held this past September, comprised of 400 scientists from academia, industry, and government, together with patent advocates, colorectal cancer rates are on the rise amongst young adults.  When the age range is extended from the traditional young adult grouping beyond the 18-24 or even 18-35 age group, "colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among people under 50 in the United States."  Further, only 10%-20% of colorectal cancer diagnoses among younger adults are due to inherent genetic factors; most are caused by lifestyle factors, including poor diet and sedentary behaviour.  

To read more about the think tank findings, click here. 

New trial alert: Identification of actionable molecular alternations in NCI-match

 A recently completed trial at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Centre in Boston indicates that next-generation sequencing (NLS) conducted on biopsy specimens of 5,954 patients "with relapsed, refractory advanced cancers permits training of newly one-with (18%) of patients to evidence-based investigational therapy."  Known as NCI-MATCH (National Cancer Institute Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice), this was the first national trial of its kind in the United States, incorporating "centralized diagnostic testing and geographically distributed clinical investigation of dozens of parallel treatment options."  

To read more about this trial, click here

Source mentioned: Flaherty KT, Gray RJ, Chen AP, et al. Molecular Landscape and Actionable Alterations in a Genomically Guided Cancer Clinical Trial: National Cancer Institute Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (NCI-MATCH). JCO; Published online 13 October 2020. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.19.03010.

Radiopharmaceuticals for radiation therapy

 Research arising from the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) indicates that radiopharmaceuticals, "which deliver radiation therapy directly and specifically to cancer cells" can reduce both the short and long-term effects of radiation therapy treatment.  According to Dr. Charles Kenos of NCI CTEP, radiopharmaceuticals will "transform radiation oncology in the next 10 to 15 years." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Targeted therapy based on molecular profiling of malignant mesothelioma tumours is feasible

 Treatment recommendations from the recently held MAP 2020 Virtual Congress indicated that "molecular profiling demonstrated gender specific differences in gene expression" in patients with metastatic malignant mesothelioma.  The study, conducted at the Universitatsklinik fur Innere Medizin in Vienna, Austria determined that this form of targeted therapy varied according to gender, with more significant recommendations made for men vs. women "due to gender-specific differences in PDGRFA expression." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Taghizadeh H, Zöchbauer-Müller S, Mader RM, Müllauer L, Klikovits T, Bachleitner-Hofmann T, Hoda MA, Prager GW. Gender differences in molecular-guided therapy recommendations for metastatic malignant mesothelioma. Thorac Cancer. 2020 Jul;11(7):1979-1988. doi: 10.1111/1759-7714.13491. Epub 2020 May 21. PMID: 32438515; PMCID: PMC7327667.

Radiation-induced genomic scars associated with poor patient outcome

New research from the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, USA studied the genomic affects of radiation therapy on gliomas.  Following an analysis from 190 paired primary and recurrent gliomas from the Glioma Longitudinal Analysis (GLASS) databases, it was determined that "an increased burden of radiation-induced deletions was significantly associated with poor patient outcome."  

To read more about this study, which was recently presented at the MAP 2020 Virtual Congress, click here. 

Study mentioned: 2MO – Kocakavuk E, Anderson KJ, Johnson KC, et al. Radiotherapy in cancer is associated with a deletion signature that contributes to poor patient outcomes. MAP 2020 Virtual Congress (9-10 October 2020).

Treatment for cancer with microsatellite instability

 A new study led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) shows that targeting an enzyme known as WRN may be a new method used to treat specific cancers.  Over the previous year, "scientists discovered that cancers cells with a genetic feature called micro satellite instability-high (MSI-high) need WRN to survive." Approximately 1 in 3 endometrial, 1 in 7 colorectal, stomach, and ovarian cancers, are considered MSI-high. 

To read more about this study, click here 

New trials alert: CheckMate 649, Attraction 4, and Keynote 590 support immunotherapy for gastric and oesophageal cancers

 New data presented at the recent ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) 2020 conference discusses 3 trials, CheckMate, Attraction 4, and Keynote 590 supporting the use of immunotherapy for gastric and oesophageal cancer patients with poor survival prognoses.  As indicated in the ESMO press release "immune checkpoint inhibitors are not yet approved for early therapy in Western countries."  The trials thus provide evidence on the use of different immune checkpoint inhibitors as first-line therapy regimens. 

To read more about these trials, click here. 

Early evaluation of nutritional status needed to provide nutritional support and decrease risk of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and nosocomial infection in cancer patients

 According to criteria from the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM), malnutrition and risk of developing nosocomial infection is at high prevalence upon hospital admission for cancer patients.  A small observational study of 107 patients (average age of 66 years old) conducted at General University Hospital of Valencia Oncology Department, indicated that 70% had an advanced stage of cancer diagnosis, presenting with severe (44.9%) and moderate (17.8%) malnutrition on admission.  Study author Dr. Nunez Abad and his investigative team thus advise that "an adequate nutritional evaluation is essential for timely implementation of nutritional support, to avoid malnutrition, sarcopenia and to decrease NI." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

COVID-19 pandemic halts cancer care and damages oncologists' wellbeing

 As recently discussed at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays and/or cancellation of cancer treats, while increasing stress levels and causing burnout among oncologists.  According to a statement by Dr. Guy Jerusalem at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sart Tilman in Belgium, "COVID-19 has had a major impact on the organization of patient care...there is a risk that the diagnosis of new cancer cases will be delayed and that more patients will be diagnosed at a later stage of their disease."  Studying findings indicated that among survey results obtained from cancer centres across 18 European countries, 60.9% admitted that clinical activity was reduced as a result of COVID-19, with 64.2% concerned about under-treatment, and 37% expecting significant reductions in clinical trials.  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Blog postings will resume week of September 14

 To all Grey Horizon readers, 

Postings will resume the week of September 14th.  Please stay safe and well.  

Male patients with cancer at higher risk of severe disease course and mortality attributable to COVID-19

 A recently published systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted within the Division of Medical Oncology at the Kansas University Medical Center, indicates that gender, in particular males is a significant risk factor for advanced disease and death as a result of COVID-19.  

The study authors have posited a number of theories regarding the gender difference, including age, comorbidities, as well as "androgenic hormones in the pathogenesis, potential sex differences in one or more of the multistep immunopathogenic pathway including virus entry, innate immune virus recognition, and induction of adaptive immune response." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Study mentioned: 

Sex-bias in COVID-19-associated illness severity and mortality in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine; Published online 24 August 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100519

regular aspirin use may increase older people's risk of dying from cancer

 A randomized clinical trial, ASPREE, indicates that patients 70 years of age or older who regularly take 100mg of aspirin daily "have a greater likelihood of being diagnosed with an advanced cancer and of dying from cancer."  While researchers agree that further study is required, many believe that aspirin may indeed have a different effect on people as they age.  Dr. Andrew Chan, senior researcher for ASPREE the strongly believes that "cancer prevention should be tailored to each person." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Strict safety measures in Austria results in low SARS-COV-2 detection rates in cancer patients

 A recently published study conducted on 1016 cancer patients in a tertiary care hospital in Vienna between March 21, 2020 - May 4, 2020 indicates a "low rate of detectable SARS-CoV-2 infections...after implementation of institutional and population-wide safety measures."  As countries worldwide can attest to, COVID-19 mortality is highest among the elderly.  88% of the 1016 cancer patients tested were managed in an outpatient setting; 53 patients (5.2%) self-reported symptoms attributable to COVID-19, however only 4 patients (0.4%) were officially diagnosed with coronavirus.  While the study team acknowledges that their research was conducted in a controlled setting, they are adamant that "implementation of strict safety policies including routine SARS-CoV-2 testing in cancer patients in the cancer centres is advisable to present uncontrolled viral spread." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Study mentioned: Berghoff AS, Gansterer M, Bathke AC, et al. SARS-CoV-2 testing in 1016 consecutive cancer patients treated at a tertiary care hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Clinical Oncology; Published on 14 August 2020. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.20.01442. 

Health problems among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors

 A new study conducted by Kaiser Permanente in Southern California has unveiled a correlation between types of cancer treatment and the risk of developing health problems in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.  According to study leader Dr Chun Chao, adolescent and young adult cancer survivors have been an understudied group, however, the risk of this age group developing one of 26 health conditions after completion of treatment was considerable: "after 10 years, 40% of AYA [adolescent and young adult] cancer survivors had developed two or more...conditions, compared with only 20% of people...with not history of cancer." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Fusion proteins in childhood cancers

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recently launched the Fusion Oncoproteins in Childhood Cancers (FusOnC2) Consortium, consisting of a group of researchers with expertise in cancer biology, proteomics, genomics, computational biology, and pharmacology.  The purpose of Fu OnC2 is to investigate difficult-to-treat "cancers driven by fusion proteins in children and young adults", with emphasis on soft tissue cancers such as synovial sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, as well as ependymoma, a type of brain cancer.

Too read more about this study, click here.   

Postings will resume week of August 4th

To all Grey Horizon readers,

Blog postings will resume the week of August 4th.

Thank you for your continued support.