Author: Editor

David Ilson, MD of Memorial Sloan Kettering gives an overview of the CALGB 80803 PET Assessment to Optimize Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Esophageal Cancer. Background: To determine whether changing chemotherapy (CT) during pre-op chemoradiation (CRT) based on response to induction CT by 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose PET imaging can lead to improved pathologic complete response (pCR) in patients (pts) with resectable esophageal and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinomas. Methods: 257 eligible pts were enrolled, underwent baseline PET scan, and were randomized to one of 2 induction CT arms: Modified FOLFOX-6 (oxaliplatin, leucovorin, 5-FU), days 1, 15, 29 or Carboplatin/Paclitaxel (CP), days 1, 8, 22, 29.…

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Jonathan R. Strosberg, MD of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center discusses the Phase III trial results of NETTER-1 as reported by the New England Journal of Medicine http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1607427CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with 177Lu-Dotatate resulted in markedly longer progression-free survival and a significantly higher response rate than high-dose octreotide LAR among patients with advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumors. Preliminary evidence of an overall survival benefit was seen in an interim analysis; confirmation will be required in the planned final analysis. Clinically significant myelosuppression occurred in less than 10% of patients in the 177Lu-Dotatate group.

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Bertram Wiedenmann, MD, PhD of Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin? discusses the NETTER-1 results for patients with neuroendocrine tumors received an 18% response rate. Here is more details about the trial background: Patients with advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumors who have had disease progression during first-line somatostatin analogue therapy have limited therapeutic options. This randomized, controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of lutetium-177 (177Lu)Dotatate in patients with advanced, progressive, somatostatin-receptorpositive midgut neuroendocrine tumors.

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Dr. Dale Shepard, MD of Cleveland Clinic gives an update on the The International Watch & Wait database (IWWD) for rectal cancer. Here is the Background: In 2014 the IWWD was established by EURECCA and the Champalimaud Foundation. The main goal of this database is to collect all available data to expand knowledge on the benefits, risks and oncological safety of organ preserving strategies in rectal cancer. In April 2015 the database was opened for data registration. Methods: An international multicentre observational study. Data was collected by participating centres and stored in a highly secured NEN7510 certified and encrypted research…

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GRACE is pleased to present a series of webcasts with faculty member John Pagel, MD, PhD, DSc, from Swedish Cancer Institute. Dr. Pagel was one of many to attend the American Society of Hematologys Annual Meeting (ASH) in early December 2016 and graciously sat down with GRACE to recap highlights from the meeting. Our fifth video in this series provides an update on CAR-T cell therapy in lymphoma.

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GRACE is pleased to present a series of webcasts with faculty member John Pagel, MD, PhD, DSc, from Swedish Cancer Institute. Dr. Pagel was one of many to attend the American Society of Hematologys Annual Meeting (ASH) in early December 2016 and graciously sat down with GRACE to recap highlights from the meeting. Our fourth video in this series updates us on antibody therapies in indolent non-hodgkins lymphoma.

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Daratumumab (DARA), a human CD38 IgG1? monoclonal antibody, has demonstrated single agent efficacy while being highly tolerable as a monotherapy, and significant efficacy in combination with standard-of-care regimens in pts with multiple myeloma (MM) who have received ?1 prior lines of therapy (Lokhorst HM. NEJM 2015, 373(13):1207-19; Lonial S. Lancet 2016, 387:1551-60; Palumbo A. NEJM 2016, in press; Dimopoulos MA. NEJM 2016, in press). DARA is currently administered as an intravenous (IV) infusion. Subcutaneous (SC) delivery of DARA is being tested in combination with the recombinant human hyaluronidase enzyme (rHuPH20) to facilitate systemic absorption of DARA after SC infusion into…

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Raúl Córdoba, MD, PhD, of University Hospital Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain, discusses his two main highlights from ASH 2016. The first highlight includes learning more and more about adaptive therapy in Hodgkins lymphoma. For example, if interim response after two cycles of chemotherapy leads to a PET-CT negative, we can decrease the regimen in order to decrease toxicity, without affecting the outcome. If the patient remains PET-positive after two cycles, we would have to increase the dose level of chemotherapy in order to overcome this bad prognosis factor. Another field of increasing interest is the treatment of elderly patients,…

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Raúl Córdoba, MD, PhD, of University Hospital Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain, discusses results from a drugdrug interaction study (NCT02381080) of ibrutinib with moderate and strong cytochrome p3a (CYP3A) inhibitors. Potential drugdrug interactions are important as ibrutinib is a novel therapy for b-cell malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and mantle-cell lymphoma. Ibrutinib is metabolized by an enzyme in the liver, CYP3A. If the patient has another medication it can also interact with this cytochrome; therefore resulting to ibrutinib levels becoming very high and leading to toxicity. The aim of this study is to analyze the plasma levels of…

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Launched in July of 2016, SITC presents the newest in a series of videos focusing on immunotherapy for NSCLC patients, the NSCLC Immunotherapy: Advancing Hope video provides an overview of the building blocks of the immune system and immunotherapy, while also highlighting recent FDA approved immunotherapy treatments and potential side effects, and the importance of clinical trials. Through a highly informative and easy-to-understand whiteboard animated format, follow an advanced NSCLC patient who is introduced to immunotherapy and is looking to determine if it is the right treatment option for him. Companion CME/CNE Online Activity SITC is pleased to offer a…

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MPN expert Dr. Srdan Verstovsek from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center explains how doctors assess patients with polycthemia vera (PV) and determine the best treatment for each individual. He explains driver mutations associated with MPNs and how various treatments work to treat the condition. Dr. Verstovsek believes that the most important thing to consider when choosing a therapy is the patient’s quality of life. Get email alerts | http://www.patientpower.info/alerts Subscribe on YouTube | http://www.youtube.com/patientpower Like on Facebook | http://www.fb.com/patientpower.info Follow on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/patientpower Follow on Google+ | http://www.google.com/+patientpowerinfo

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Over the last 25 years, there has been an explosion of new and vitally important, anticancer drugs. The development of these promising new therapeutic agents is generally based on preclinical and clinical research. In many cases, this research has, become prohibitively expensive. And only a relatively few investigational drugs have reached the market and successfully improved clinical outcomes in the treatment of patients with cancer and hematological malignancies. In the development of new therapies, the traditional clinical trial process of determining which drugs will ultimately benefit patients is long and expensive. Over the last few decades scientists have tried to…

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In this Patient Power segment, Andrew Schorr talks with MPN experts Dr. Prithviraj Bose and Dr. Olatoyosi Odenike about the risks associated with essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) and myelofibrosis (MF). Dr. Bose discusses what concerns him about each type of MPN and the issues that experts put a focus on to reduce risk while Dr. Odenike provides insight on treatment options. Get email alerts | http://www.patientpower.info/alerts Subscribe on YouTube | http://www.youtube.com/patientpower Like on Facebook | http://www.fb.com/patientpower.info Follow on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/patientpower Follow on Google+ | http://www.google.com/+patientpowerinfo

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At the 2016 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting, Dr. Brian Walker of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Myeloma Institute joined Patient Power to discuss the importance of researching genes and mutations learn more about the intricacies of myeloma. Dr. Walker discusses how genetic sequencing plays a role in the use of targeted therapies and the development of new medications. He also speaks about the Myeloma Genome Project and how patients can be involved in this collaboration of research benefitting the future of medicine. Get email alerts | http://www.patientpower.info/alerts Subscribe on YouTube | http://www.youtube.com/patientpower Like on Facebook…

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What is the latest news about lymphoma from ASH 2106? Lymphoma expert Dr. John Burke of Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers shares the three main elements of lymphoma news out of ASH: follicular lymphoma patients should expect obinatuzimab to become available sometime in 2017; mantle cell patients may see benefits from rituximab as a post-transplant maintenance therapy; and, unfortunately, trial outcomes for EPIC were negative with no overall advantage to diffuse large B-cell lymphomas patients. Get email alerts | http://www.patientpower.info/alerts Subscribe on YouTube | http://www.youtube.com/patientpower Like on Facebook | http://www.fb.com/patientpower.info Follow on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/patientpower Follow on Google+ | http://www.google.com/+patientpowerinfo

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Tim Stockwell, PhD of University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada gives an overview of his presentation focused on alcohols contribution to the burden of cancer. Dr Stockwell mentions that after correcting for some methodological problems the rates of alcohol-caused cancer are 2-3 times higher than previously thought. Dr Stockwells research indicates that introduction of minimum unit pricing in Scotland will lead to benefits greater than anticipated by modelling studies. Recorded at the 2016 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK.

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Stan Kaye, BSc, MD, FRCP, FRCR, FRSE, FMedSci of Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK discusses drug resistance in ovarian cancer. Chemotherapy is limited as many cancers develop resistance to drugs like carboplatin or taxanes. Analysis of samples from patients with relapsed cancer may offer some answers to understand what mechanisms are used by cancer cells to repair DNA damage. Drugs targeting these mechanisms could be then used to inhibit DNA repair and stop cancer proliferation. Recorded at the 2016 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK.

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Robert Coleman, MBBS, MD, FRCP, FRCPE of Sheffield Cancer Research, University of Sheffield, UK discusses issues with drug repurposing. Most drug development is supported by the pharmaceutical industry for commercial reasons, which is rarely possible for drug repurposing. Promising drugs are not licensed in the indication and clinicians cannot prescribe bisphosphonates without a licence. Dr Coleman highlights the case of bisphosphonates, which are used to treat osteoporosis and have a very powerful effect on breast cancer recurrence in postmenopausal women. Recorded at the 2016 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK.

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