Onco Actu du 29 septembre 2015

	3.1 Tabac
India delays implementation of bigger tobacco pack warnings [Reuters] Anti-tobacco campaigners question the panel's decision to delay implementing bigger warnings, pointing out that one member of the committee owns a tobacco company. Two members have said there is no link between tobacco and cancer.
	3.4.1 Chimioprévention - aspirine
Too soon for 'aspirin doubles cancer survival' claim [NHS Choices] Unfortunately, the claims appearing in the media are based solely on a press release and abstract of research being presented at a scientific conference.
	4.2 Dép., diag. & prono. - Génome
Sequencing Metastatic Cancers Could Lead to Improved Therapies [GEN] Scientists say they found that the original, or primary, cancer in a patient's body may have important differences at a genetic level from cancer that has spread to the patient's brain. This insight could suggest new lines of treatment.
	4.9 Dép., diag. & prono. - Sein
Hologic Falls as Study Questions Computer-Aided Mammograms [Bloomberg] “If we could curtail use of many similarly ineffective tests and interventions, we could significantly reduce U.S. health-care expenditures while augmenting resources for effective care or well-designed studies of promising innovations.”
Profiles in Science: A Breast Cancer Surgeon Who Keeps Challenging the Status Quo [NY Times] Dr. Esserman, 58, is one of the most vocal proponents of the idea that breast cancer screening brings with it overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Her philosophy is controversial, to say the least.
Computer-aided mammography might not help spot breast cancer [Reuters] Between 2003 and 2009, the nearly 324,000 women in the study had nearly 626,000 digital screening mammography exams, including 495,818 that were interpreted with CAD and 129,807 that were interpreted without it.
	5. Traitements
A better way to treat cancer: understanding tumors [Fortune] Ultimately precision medicine will only be as precise as available data allows. To better understand complex diseases like cancer, the medical and tech industries must collaborate to make the growing wealth of public and private genetic data sets accessible for patient benefit.
	5.12 Immunothérapies
"Fine Tuning" Engineered T Cells May Extend Immunotherapy Approach to More Cancer Types [National Cancer Institute] The findings, which come from two new studies performed in cancer cell lines and mice, suggest a way to make an investigational form of immunotherapy, known as CAR T cell therapy, a potential treatment option for more cancers, say the investigators who led the studies.
	5.2 Pharma
Roche wins kudos for game-changing atezolizumab cancer data [FierceBiotech] Atezolizumab's success is central to Roche's pipeline story.
Verastem Sinks as Mesothelioma Study Halted For Futility [Xconomy] The study in mesothelioma—a rare form of lung cancer often found in people exposed to asbestos—was Verastem’s biggest test to date, and investors didn’t take the news well, sending shares down almost 50 percent in pre-market trading.
Verastem Takes a Tumble [In the Pipeline] They went into the clinic with a possible mesothelioma therapy, the FAK inhibitor VS-6063 (defactinib), although you had to wonder how much that one had to do with the company’s putative stem-cell mission.
Verastem stops cancer therapy development; shares plunge [Reuters] Verastem Inc said it would wind down studies testing VS-6063, its lead therapy in development, to treat mesothelioma cancer, raising questions about the therapy's potential to treat other forms of cancers.
Cometriq plays wallflower as Opdivo’s dance card fills [EP Vantage] Cometriq will not be able to escape comparisons with Opdivo. The first blow was their near-simultaneous release of positive results in renal cell carcinoma in July, and on Saturday they were put side by side in a late-breaking data session at the European Cancer Congress in Vienna.
	5.2.1 Pharma - Partenariats
Sorrento launches another joint venture with a $170M cancer deal [FierceBiotech] Sorrento Therapeutics, among the constellation of companies associated with billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, is again widening its R&D mission with a joint venture, teaming up with a California cancer center on some novel antibody technology.
	5.4 Traitements - Economie
Breast cancer treatment: Drug pertuzumab licensed [BBC News] The medicine has not been recommended for widespread use on the NHS by the watchdog NICE or the Scottish Medicines Consortium, but patients in England with advanced breast cancer can obtain it through the government's Cancer Drugs Fund.
Why pharmaceuticals are cheaper abroad [CNN] Gleevec (a cancer treatment): $6,214 (per month/per customer) in the United States, compared to $1,141 in Canada and $2,697 in England.
	5.6.10 ESMO - Vessie
Bladder Cancer Treatment IMvigor-ated [The OBR Blog] In the U.S., accelerated approval of atezolizumab in this indication is highly likely given the lack of any approved therapies for relapsed patients and with the drug having already received Breakthrough Therapy designation in this indication.
Lilly's CYRAMZA® (ramucirumab) Significantly Improves Progression-Free Survival in Phase II Bladder Cancer Trial [Lilly] Based on these findings, Lilly recently initiated a Phase III trial called RANGE, which has begun to enroll patients.
	5.6.11 ESMO- Rein
Breakthrough study demonstrates survival advantage with immune checkpoint inhibitor for advanced kidney cancer patients [MD Anderson Cancer Center] CheckMate-025 study led by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center portends paradigm change in standard of care treatment.
CheckMate-025 and METEOR: The Overall Survival Barrier Has Finally Been Broken in RCC [The OBR Blog] Making two assumptions – that the METEOR trial ultimately shows a significant OS benefit and that regulatory agencies will approve the two drugs within a few months of each other – these two agents will have a hefty competition for market share in second-line RCC.
In A First, Kidney Cancer Drug Extends Survival [Forbes] The NEJM has published two papers on kidney cancer treatment to coincide with their presentation at theEuropean Cancer Congress in Vienna. While neither study yields fantastic results, each demonstrates a significant benefit for a new drug in patients with advanced, refractory renal cell (kidney) tumors.
	5.6.12 ESMO - Observation
Study: pregnant women with cancer can be treated without harming fetus [The Guardian] The European study emphasized, however, that the women in the study did not receive treatment during the first 12 to 14 weeks of their pregnancy when the risk of birth defects is greatest.
Study Offers Support for Cancer Treatment During Pregnancy [NY Times] “To some extent, it’s surprising because cancer treatment is quite toxic,” he said, “and we know most chemotherapy drugs cross the placenta.”
Pregnant cancer patients shouldn't terminate or delay treatment: study [Reuters] A study of 129 children aged 1 to 3 who had prenatal exposure to cancer treatment showed their mental processes and heart function developed normally compared with children from the general population.
	5.6.13 ESMO - Prostate
Fewer, larger radiotherapy doses prove effective for prostate cancer patients [Cancer Research UK] The results could mean men need fewer trips to hospital – over four weeks rather than seven and a half – without reducing the quality and impact of their prostate cancer treatment.
	5.6.2 ESMO - Divers
Global investment in cancer radiotherapy and surgery 'urgently needed' [Cancer Research UK] The problem of access to radiotherapy is most acute in Africa, where 40 countries have no radiotherapy facilities at all. Meanwhile, the proportion of the annual global cancer research and development budget that goes towards surgery is just 1.3 per cent. In the UK, only 2.1 per cent of research spending on cancer is allocated to surgery.
Comprehensive Genomic Profiling Detects High Frequency of ERBB2 Extracellular Domain Mutations in Multiple Cancer Types [ESMO] Investigators identify therapeutic targets in unknown primary carcinoma, urothelial, and biliary carcinomas that respond to existing HER-2 targeted therapies.
ESMO Commentary: Innovative approaches and drugs in early development phase show promising results in solid tumours [ESMO] The ongoing clinical evaluation of novel agents in early development phase will now need to show if the encouraging results can be translated into benefits for patients with several solid tumours.
	5.6.4 ESMO - Poumon
Seeing the Forest from the Trees: Atezolizumab in the Rapidly Shifting NSCLC Landscape [The OBR Blog] Atezolizumab is Roche/Genentech’s gateway into this hot area. While a slight latecomer, atezolizumab is one of the most advanced immuno-oncology agents, representing a complementary mechanism by being an inhibitor of the PD-L1 ligand.
Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of BRAF in a Large Series of Lung Cancer Samples [ESMO] BRAF alterations occur in three types of lung cancer but not in small-cell lung cancer.
ESMO Commentary: Genomic landscape in lung cancer: steps forward in rapidly identifying genomic alterations [ESMO] Dr David Planchard, Pulmonary Oncologist at the Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus in Villejuif, France, explains how new technologies, such as next-generation sequencing, offer the possibility of rapid identification of actionable oncogenic alterations and targeted treatment options.
	5.6.5 ESMO - Mélanome & Peau
ESMO Commentary: A new promise for a rare skin cancer [ESMO] A small study presented at ECC2015 shows positive responses in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma after few weeks of treatment with checkpoint inhibitors.
	5.6.6 ESMO - Sein
Breast Cancer Gene Test Helps Predict Who Can Skip Chemo [NPR] Now a study confirms that this test, called Oncotype DX, works well for a small group of patients. But a longer, follow-up study is needed to draw conclusions for a fuller range of patients with riskier tumors.
Early Tumors: Treating Breast Cancer Without Chemotherapy [Time] The findings should help cancer doctors to have more confidence in recommending that certain women skip chemotherapy, but Sporano admits that this might be a difficult hurdle to overcome.
ESMO Commentary: Preserving fertility in breast cancer patients: new promises [ESMO] Still today many women do not realise at the start of getting chemotherapy that it may affect their fertility. Historically, fertility was not always addressed but a good oncologist takes the time to discuss this with young women or to refer them to a fertility specialist.
	5.6.8 ESMO - Côlon-rectum
Response to EGFR Agents in Combination With Chemotherapy Demonstrated in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer of Rare KRAS Molecular Subtype [ESMO] Combination of cetuximab and irinotecan may offer a new treatment option for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and KRAS exon 2 (G13D) mutation.
	6.4 Médico-éco
Patients Are Seen as Potential Donors, Many Doctors Say [NY Times] A well-to-do cancer patient is nearing the end of her treatments. During an office visit, she says to her doctor, “I can’t thank you enough for the care you provided.” Should the doctor simply accept the patient’s gratitude — or gently suggest a way for her to show it: “Perhaps you might consider making a donation?”
	6.8 Communication
May I take your metaphor? – how we talk about cancer [Cancer Research UK] Whether you’re a patient, a carer, a fundraiser or a doctor – talking about cancer almost invariably means using metaphors. But is one metaphor better than another? And how do different metaphors affect different people? That’s the question Professor Elena Semino, a linguist from Lancaster University, has spent the last few years trying to figure out.