Oncology
Live Report from ASH: Azacitidine ‘New Standard’ In High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Pierre Fenaux
PIERRE FENAUX, Paris 13 University
Results from a phase III study presented at ASH suggest that the hypomethylating agent azacitidine should be the new standard of care for patients with high-risk MDS. Pierre Fenaux of Paris 13 University gave the details to Derek Thorne.
Results from a phase III study presented at ASH suggest that the hypomethylating agent azacitidine should be the new standard of care for patients with high-risk MDS. Pierre Fenaux of Paris 13 University gave the details to Derek Thorne.
Live Report from ASH:
Interleukin-2 For Acute Myeloid Leukemia In First Remission?
Jonathan Kolitz
JONATHAN KOLITZ, Monter Cancer Center, Lake Success, NY
GEORGE CANELLOS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
For patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first remission, new data suggests that there may be a benefit from interleukin-2. Derek Thorne got the interim results of this phase III trial from Jonathan Kolitz of Monter Cancer Center, Lake Success, NY, while George Canellos of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provided comment.
GEORGE CANELLOS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
For patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first remission, new data suggests that there may be a benefit from interleukin-2. Derek Thorne got the interim results of this phase III trial from Jonathan Kolitz of Monter Cancer Center, Lake Success, NY, while George Canellos of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provided comment.
Two New Second-Line Options For Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Jean-Yves Douillard
Gordon McVie
REFERENCE: Abstracts: 6507 & 2LB, ECCO 14, The European Cancer Conference, Barcelona, 23 – 27 September 2007
JEAN-YVES DOUILLARD, Centre René Gauducheau, Nante
COMMENT: GORDON MCVIE, European Institute of Oncology, Milan
The vinca alkaloid vinflunine and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib both achieved equivalent benefits to standard docetaxel second-line therapy among patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer previously treated with platinum.
JEAN-YVES DOUILLARD, Centre René Gauducheau, Nante
COMMENT: GORDON MCVIE, European Institute of Oncology, Milan
The vinca alkaloid vinflunine and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib both achieved equivalent benefits to standard docetaxel second-line therapy among patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer previously treated with platinum.
Endothelin Antagonist Keeps Patients with Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer Alive Longer
Nicholas James
Gordon McVie
REFERENCE: Abstract: 3LB (Presidential Session), ECCO 14, The European Cancer Conference, Barcelona, 23 – 27 September 2007
NICHOLAS JAMES, Birmingham University
COMMENT: GORDON MCVIE, European Institute of Oncology, Milan
A new drug has improved overall survival among patients with hormone resistant prostate cancer. The endothelin A antagonist ZD4054 was investigated in a placebo-controlled trial among 300 patients whose hormone-resistant prostate cancer had metastasized to bone.
NICHOLAS JAMES, Birmingham University
COMMENT: GORDON MCVIE, European Institute of Oncology, Milan
A new drug has improved overall survival among patients with hormone resistant prostate cancer. The endothelin A antagonist ZD4054 was investigated in a placebo-controlled trial among 300 patients whose hormone-resistant prostate cancer had metastasized to bone.
Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab: Marked Benefit in HER2-Positive Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Jose Baselga
Gordon McVie
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT 2030, ECCO 14, The European Cancer Conference, Barcelona, 23 – 27 September 2007
JOSE BASELGA, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona
COMMENT: GORDON MCVIE, European Institute of Oncology, Milan
Neoadjuvant trastuzumab for patients with HER2-positive inflammatory breast cancer has shown significantly higher pathological response rates compared with chemotherapy alone. This is according to data presented at the ECCO meeting from the NOAH trial that randomly assigned more than 60 patients to receive chemotherapy plus trastuzumab or chemotherapy alone. Sarah Maxwell heard from Jose Baselga, who thinks this should be a new standard of care, and Gordon McVie.
JOSE BASELGA, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona
COMMENT: GORDON MCVIE, European Institute of Oncology, Milan
Neoadjuvant trastuzumab for patients with HER2-positive inflammatory breast cancer has shown significantly higher pathological response rates compared with chemotherapy alone. This is according to data presented at the ECCO meeting from the NOAH trial that randomly assigned more than 60 patients to receive chemotherapy plus trastuzumab or chemotherapy alone. Sarah Maxwell heard from Jose Baselga, who thinks this should be a new standard of care, and Gordon McVie.
Intraperitoneal Catumaxomab Prolongs Survival in Patients With Malignant Ascites from Ovarian Cancer
Markus Heiss
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT 5001, ECCO 14, The European Cancer Conference, Barcelona, 23 – 27 September 2007
MARKUS HEISS, Klinikum Cologne, Merheim
For patients with malignant ascites as a result of ovarian cancer, a novel intraperitoneal therapy adding the trifunctional antibody catumaxomab to standard paracentesis has prolonged survival, according to a study from Germany that randomly assigned over 100 patients. Sarah Maxwell inteviewed Markus Heiss.
MARKUS HEISS, Klinikum Cologne, Merheim
For patients with malignant ascites as a result of ovarian cancer, a novel intraperitoneal therapy adding the trifunctional antibody catumaxomab to standard paracentesis has prolonged survival, according to a study from Germany that randomly assigned over 100 patients. Sarah Maxwell inteviewed Markus Heiss.
Laparoscopic-Assisted Resection for Colorectal Cancer
Pierre Guillou
David Jayne
REFERENCE: J Clin Oncol 25:3061-3068
PIERRE GUILLOU, St James’ Hospital, Leeds
COMMENT: DAVID JAYNE, St James’ Hospital, Leeds
Laparoscopic-assisted resection for colorectal cancer has proved just as effective as conventional open surgery, according to researchers in Leeds, England. Peter Goodwin went to meet the chief investigator, Pierre Guillou, to ask him about the CLASSIC study results published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. David Jayne, also from St James Hospital, told Peter Goodwin about the learning curve associated with laparoscopic-assisted colorectal cancer resection, and reviewed current developments toward fully laparoscopic procedures now being introduced.
PIERRE GUILLOU, St James’ Hospital, Leeds
COMMENT: DAVID JAYNE, St James’ Hospital, Leeds
Laparoscopic-assisted resection for colorectal cancer has proved just as effective as conventional open surgery, according to researchers in Leeds, England. Peter Goodwin went to meet the chief investigator, Pierre Guillou, to ask him about the CLASSIC study results published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. David Jayne, also from St James Hospital, told Peter Goodwin about the learning curve associated with laparoscopic-assisted colorectal cancer resection, and reviewed current developments toward fully laparoscopic procedures now being introduced.
KRAS Mutation: Powerful Molecular Predictor of Cetuximab Response in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Pierre Laurent-Puig
Bill Hait
REFERENCE: ABSTRACT: 5671, American Association for Cancer Research, April 14-18, 2007, Los Angeles
PIERRE LAURENT-PUIG, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris
COMMENT: BILL HAIT, Johnson & Johnson, Raritan, NJ
The presence of the KRAS mutation in tumor samples from patients with colorectal cancer gives clear prognostic information about the effectiveness of therapy with the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor cetuximab. This is the finding of a group from Paris reported at the American Association for Cancer Research 2007 Annual Meeting held in Los Angeles. Peter Goodwin discussed research findings with Pierre Laurent-Puig.
Bill Hait, President of the American Association for Cancer Research, commented on the findings from Paris discussed by Pierre Laurent-Puig about the value of the KRAS mutation in predicting the response of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer to therapy with cetuximab.
PIERRE LAURENT-PUIG, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris
COMMENT: BILL HAIT, Johnson & Johnson, Raritan, NJ
The presence of the KRAS mutation in tumor samples from patients with colorectal cancer gives clear prognostic information about the effectiveness of therapy with the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor cetuximab. This is the finding of a group from Paris reported at the American Association for Cancer Research 2007 Annual Meeting held in Los Angeles. Peter Goodwin discussed research findings with Pierre Laurent-Puig.
Bill Hait, President of the American Association for Cancer Research, commented on the findings from Paris discussed by Pierre Laurent-Puig about the value of the KRAS mutation in predicting the response of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer to therapy with cetuximab.
To listen this episode please go to ASCO Audio Journal of Oncology in Advance Presentations.
Virus Plus Cytokine Fight Primary and Metastatic Cancer
Paul Fisher
REFERENCE: Meet the Professor Session, AACR 2007, Los Angeles
PAUL FISHER, Columbia University, New York
Patients with cancer could soon be treated with adenoviruses capable of infecting both primary and distant tumors, and simultaneously releasing cancer-fighting cytokines, according to Paul Fisher, who presented his group’s findings to the AACR Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. He told delegates about his group’s work in which “conditionally replication competent adenoviruses” have been used to treat animals, and how they release cytokine IL-24, which reaches primary and distant disease simultaneously through the bloodstream. During the conference he discussed his group’s latest data with Peter Goodwin, and speculated about the future potential of this approach in the clinical setting.
PAUL FISHER, Columbia University, New York
Patients with cancer could soon be treated with adenoviruses capable of infecting both primary and distant tumors, and simultaneously releasing cancer-fighting cytokines, according to Paul Fisher, who presented his group’s findings to the AACR Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. He told delegates about his group’s work in which “conditionally replication competent adenoviruses” have been used to treat animals, and how they release cytokine IL-24, which reaches primary and distant disease simultaneously through the bloodstream. During the conference he discussed his group’s latest data with Peter Goodwin, and speculated about the future potential of this approach in the clinical setting.
Bivalent Vaccine for HPV: Interim Phases III Data Show High Efficacy
Jorma Paavonen
REFERENCE: Lancet 369:2161-2170, 2007
JORMA PAAVONEN, University of Helsinki
High efficacy of the bivalent vaccine for human papillomavirus is reported in the Lancet by an international group headed by Jorma Paavonen from Helsinki. Nicola Solomon asked him about the interim findings of the 20,000-patient Phase III study, which look very promising.
JORMA PAAVONEN, University of Helsinki
High efficacy of the bivalent vaccine for human papillomavirus is reported in the Lancet by an international group headed by Jorma Paavonen from Helsinki. Nicola Solomon asked him about the interim findings of the 20,000-patient Phase III study, which look very promising.
ASCO Audio Journal of Oncology in Advance - July 15th, 2007 - reporting from: ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago, June 1-5, 2007
Volker Diehl
George Canellos
Hodgkin’s Disease: 10-Year Results Show Further Benefit From Escalated BEACOPP Therapy
REFERENCE: Abstract 8015, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007
VOLKER DIEHL, University of Cologne
GEORGE CANELLOS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
Long-term results presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting have given further support to the use of an escalated BEACOPP regimen in patients with Hodgkin’s disease. Volker Diehl, of the University of Cologne, discussed his latest data with George Canellos, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and Peter Goodwin.
VOLKER DIEHL, University of Cologne
GEORGE CANELLOS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
Long-term results presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting have given further support to the use of an escalated BEACOPP regimen in patients with Hodgkin’s disease. Volker Diehl, of the University of Cologne, discussed his latest data with George Canellos, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and Peter Goodwin.
Sandra Horning
Less Radiation Is Significantly Better for Patients With Favorable Hodgkin’s Disease
REFERENCE: Abstract 8014, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007
SANDRA HORNING, Stanford University
Less aggressive radiotherapy when combined with chemotherapy has proven superior to the use of extended field radiotherapy for patients with favorable prognosis Hodgkin’s disease. This finding from long-term follow-up of mature data from a Stanford University study was presented at the 2007 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago. After her talk in the lymphoma session, Sandra Horning talked with Sarah Maxwell about her group’s latest results.
SANDRA HORNING, Stanford University
Less aggressive radiotherapy when combined with chemotherapy has proven superior to the use of extended field radiotherapy for patients with favorable prognosis Hodgkin’s disease. This finding from long-term follow-up of mature data from a Stanford University study was presented at the 2007 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago. After her talk in the lymphoma session, Sandra Horning talked with Sarah Maxwell about her group’s latest results.
To listen this episode please go to ASCO Audio Journal of Oncology in Advance Presentations.
ASCO Audio Journal of Oncology in Advance -July 1st, 2007 - reporting from: ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago, June 1-5, 2007
Christian Manegold
Roy Herbst
More Support for Bevacizumab in Advanced Lung Cancer
REFERENCE: Abstract LBA7514, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007
CHRISTIAN MANEGOLD, Heidelberg University, Mannheim
COMMENT: ROY HERBST, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
The benefit of adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer was further underlined by a phase III trial presented at ASCO. A European study tested two doses of the targeted agent with or without cisplatin plus gemcitabine chemotherapy. Derek Thorne heard the results from Christian Manegold of the University of Heidelberg.
CHRISTIAN MANEGOLD, Heidelberg University, Mannheim
COMMENT: ROY HERBST, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
The benefit of adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer was further underlined by a phase III trial presented at ASCO. A European study tested two doses of the targeted agent with or without cisplatin plus gemcitabine chemotherapy. Derek Thorne heard the results from Christian Manegold of the University of Heidelberg.
David Baker
Reduced Chemotherapy: Same Benefit in Pediatric Intermediate Risk Neuroblastoma
REFERENCE: Abstract 9504, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007
DAVID BAKER, Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth
A phase III study of pediatric patients with neuroblastoma has shown that chemotherapy doses can be reduced whilst maintaining the typical high survival rates of standard dose radiotherapy. Sarah Maxwell talked with investigator David Baker during the ASCO conference.
DAVID BAKER, Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth
A phase III study of pediatric patients with neuroblastoma has shown that chemotherapy doses can be reduced whilst maintaining the typical high survival rates of standard dose radiotherapy. Sarah Maxwell talked with investigator David Baker during the ASCO conference.
Robert Mayer
Oral Agent Benefits Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer
REFERENCE: Abstracts 4513 and 4514, ASCO Annual Meeting Chicago June 1-5, 2007
ROBERT MAYER, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
The oral pro-drug known as S-1 has been shown in two Japanese studies to bring survival benefit to patients with advanced gastric cancer. During the ASCO meeting Peter Goodwin asked Robert Mayer for the details and for his assessment of the importance of these new data.
ROBERT MAYER, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
The oral pro-drug known as S-1 has been shown in two Japanese studies to bring survival benefit to patients with advanced gastric cancer. During the ASCO meeting Peter Goodwin asked Robert Mayer for the details and for his assessment of the importance of these new data.
To listen this episode please go to ASCO Audio Journal of Oncology in Advance Presentations.
Health For All 30 Years After Alma Ata? Mental Health And War»
AliaIbrahim Zai, Egbert Sondorp, Gill Walt, Lucy Gilson, Ravi Narayan, Richard Horton, Vikram Patel, Willem Van De Put
Two important symposia have been held in London to discuss healthcare issues posing significant dilemmas to world leaders in the 21st Century. "The Future of Primary Health Care" was attended by public health experts from around the Globe to assess the best options for improving primary health care in the future. It was held on the 30th anniversary of the Alma Ata Declaration made in 1977 which was intended as a blueprint for health provision and identified primary health care as the means through which the global goal of "Health for All" could be achieved. The second meeting, on "Mental Health in Fragile States", was held to raise the profile of mental health care in zones where conflict has taken place or is still happening. Analyses of the key issues and how to deal with them effectively were discussed by top experts from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and associated organisations. Peter Goodwin attended both meetings and talked with some of the key speakers.AliaIbrahim Zai, Egbert Sondorp, Gill Walt, Lucy Gilson, Ravi Narayan, Richard Horton, Vikram Patel, Willem Van De Put
LSHTM Audio News: British Association Special Edition»
Astrid Fletcher, Jo Lines, Sari Kovats, Colin Sutherland, Michel Coleman
Peter Goodwin hears from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine experts speaking at the annual science festival of the British Association for the Advancement of Science held in Liverpool, September 6-10, 2008, and from recent scientific publications on: the health impact of global warming, a tropical virus reaching temperate zones, inequalities in cancer outcomes, how eating oily fish can save your eyesight, and free internet publishing scientific journals.Astrid Fletcher, Jo Lines, Sari Kovats, Colin Sutherland, Michel Coleman
© 2008 Audio Medica - Medical Audio News Interviews & Podcasts. 
