Onco Actu du 12 janvier 2016

	1. Biologie
Researchers uncover weakness in leukaemia cells [Cancer Research UK] The discovery opens the potential for new treatments that target the genes – which are known as KDM4C and PRMT1.
	2. Etiologie
Cancer--luck or environment? Part II: Nothing to food-fight over [The Mermaid's Tale] Indeed, to a considerable extent, if each cause is unique then it's epistemologically not very different from saying that cancer occurs randomly, which, though for a different sort of reason, is what V and T said. There won't, for example, be a specific environmental change you can make, any more than a specific gene you can re-engineer, to make the disease go away or even to change much in frequency or age of onset.
Food-Fight Alert!! Is cancer bad luck or environment? Part I: the basic issues [The Mermaid's Tale] As we've noted before, if you take into account the age-dependency of risk of diseases of this sort, and the competing causes that are there to take us away, both sides in this food fight come away with egg on their face.
Why most cancer isn’t attributable to simple ‘bad luck’ [The Guardian] The two studies have some things in common but differ substantially in their estimates of how much intrinsic and extrinsic risks contribute to cancer. Notably, the SBU team have backed up their argument with evidence that wasn’t included in Tomasetti and Vogelstein’s study.
	3.3 Prévention - Vaccins
We know it's effective. So why is there opposition to the HPV vaccine ? [The Guardian] Broadly speaking, opposition can be separated into two distinct categories, the first of which expresses itself as moral concern.
	4. Dépistage, diagnostic et pronostic
Cancer Diagnostics 2020: Emerging Tumor Markers, Oncogenes, Biochemical Markers, Lymphokines, GFs, CSFs, Hormones, Immunohistochemical Stains--Supplier Shares, Country Segment Forecasts, Competitive Strategies, Innovative Technologies, Instrumentation Review [ReportsnReports] During the next five years, the worldwide cancer diagnostics market is promising to be an exciting, dynamic and rapidly expanding field. Anticipated technological breakthroughs will create numerous opportunities for determining genetic predisposition, detecting specific tumors, and monitoring biological response to cancer therapy.
	4.12 Biopsies liquides
Genomic Health Announces Plans to Launch Liquid Biopsy Mutation Panel in 2016 [Genomic Health] Oncotype SEQ represents the first of several liquid biopsy tests that Genomic Health plans to deliver through the introduction of its Oncotype IQ™ Genomic Intelligence Platform.
	4.9 Dép., diag. & prono. - Sein
New breast cancer screening guidelines at odds with Congress [Washington Post] “The U.S. Congress thinks it's perfectly acceptable, even preferred, for a scientific document from 14 years ago to guide coverage policy on screening for breast cancer in women,” says Kenneth Lin, a Georgetown University family medicine doctor who teaches preventive and evidence-based medicine.
Federal Panel Finalizes Mammogram Advice That Stirred Controversy [NPR] The USPSTF says that women between 40 and 49 don't get as much benefit from screening as do older women, so they should make an individual decision on when to start based on how they view the benefits and harms.
American Cancer Society Responds to USPSTF Breast Cancer Screening [ACS] Compared to the initial draft recommendation, the USPSTF now places greater emphasis on the importance of making a personal, informed decision about when to start screening.
A Turning Point In The Breast Cancer Screening Debate? [Forbes] A major medical journal, the Annals of Internal Medicine, has published a fresh cluster of twelve papers on breast cancer screening. Although I don’t agree with some of the editorials and conclusions of particular reports, I am encouraged by the big picture. The series advances women’s health.
Better treatment for breast cancer hasn't boosted the benefit of mammograms, study says [LA Times] If better treatments were focused primarily on patients with early-stage breast cancer, then using mammograms to diagnose women sooner would make a huge difference. However, if improvements in treatment were mainly focused on patients with more advanced cancer, there would be less to gain by finding cancers early.
Panel Reasserts Mammogram Advice That Triggered Breast Cancer Debate [NY Times] The task force emphasized that it was not advising against screening for women under 50 or over 74, or against screening every year as opposed to every other year. Rather, it says that women should choose for themselves — but that its guidelines offer the best overall balance of benefits and risks.
U.S. panel finalizes breast cancer screening recommendations [Reuters] Under the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, mammogram screening every two years for women 50 to 74 got a grade of "B", meaning doctors should offer the service. Screening for women in their 40s got a "C" grade, meaning doctors should offer the service for select patients, depending on individual circumstances.
	5. Traitements
Arthritis drug could also help combat ovarian cancer [NHS Choices] Although auranofin is currently used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the US, and has been tested in early-stage ovarian cancer studies in humans, much more study is needed looking into its effectiveness and safety before it could be approved for use in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
Early-Stage Prostate Cancer: To Treat or Not to Treat [CANCER RESEARCH Catalyst] The mystery of why low-grade and high-grade prostate cancers act so differently has not yet been solved.
	5.12 Immunothérapies
Cellectis Announces a New CAR Architecture Controlling CAR T-Cell Functions [Cellectis] This integrated switch-on system offers the advantages of controllable CAR T-cells for safety while allowing for the possibility of multiple cytotoxicity cycles using a small molecule drug.
Turning your cancer against itself [STAT] Nevertheless, said Gregory Lizee of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, “the jury is still out” on whether therapeutic cancer vaccines will live up to the soaring hopes. And some are already sounding cautions about their potential cost.
Juno Acquires Harvard Spinout, AbVitro, For $125M To Discover More Cancer Immunotherapies [Forbes] Through the AbVitro immune sequencing method, a fully human, natural T-cell receptor that’s designed to combat a specific cancer cell marker can be found in a matter of 2-3 weeks, says Juno chief financial officer Steve Harr.
	5.12.1 Immunothérapies - partenariats
Novartis continues to grow immuno-oncology pipeline through collaboration and licensing agreement with Surface Oncology [Novartis] Agreement gives Novartis access to four pre-clinical programs that target regulatory T cell populations, inhibitory cytokines, and immunosuppressive metabolites in the tumor microenvironment.
Rival drug firms team up to test new cancer treatment approach [STAT] Since collaboration is already taking place, some experts are skeptical the coalition will have much impact. “I’m interested to see what value it offers beyond publicity for them,” said Dr. John Heymach of MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Drug Companies to Try a Unified Front Against Cancer [NY Times] Researchers believe that combinations of two or more drugs that engage different parts of the immune system might be effective for more patients than a single drug.
Novartis signs $170 million immuno-oncology pact with Surface [Reuters] Novartis plans to test Surfaces' investigatory therapies as stand-alone monotherapies, as well as in combination with other drugs within its portfolios.
	5.2 Pharma
Exelixis Submits Marketing Authorization Application in the European Union for Cabozantinib as a Treatment for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma [Exelixis] The MAA is based on results of METEOR, a phase 3 pivotal trial comparing cabozantinib to everolimus in patients with advanced RCC who experienced disease progression following treatment with a VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
	5.2.1 Pharma - Partenariats
AstraZeneca and Incyte announce new lung cancer clinical trial collaboration [AstraZeneca] AstraZeneca and Incyte Corporation today announced a new collaboration to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Incyte’s Janus-associated kinase (JAK) 1 inhibitor, INCB39110, in combination with AstraZeneca’s next generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, Tagrisso® (osimertinib).
AstraZeneca and MedImmune in oncology research deals [Pharmafile] AstraZeneca and its biologics arm MedImmune are launching new agreements with partner companies, to develop new targets for cancer, and to trial existing lung cancer drugs.
	5.2.2 Pharma - Fusions & Acquisitions
Merck buys out IOmet, adding new immuno-oncology tech [FierceBiotech] Merck has snagged Edinburgh-based IOmet for an undisclosed sum, adding a preclinical pipeline of therapies that target the IDO/TDO pathways that may help spur an immune system attack on cancer.
Drugmaker Shire to buy Baxalta for $32 billion after six-month pursuit [Reuters] Thanks to its base in Dublin, the combined company is expected to have an effective tax rate of 16 to 17 percent by 2017, down from around 23 percent for Baxalta, making the deal the latest transaction to result in lower tax rates.
	5.5 ASCO
Some Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors May Not Receive All Recommended Follow-Up [ASCO] “We need a systematic way to deliver post-treatment care, including screening for late effects of treatment. Studies like this will help inform the design of survivorship care programs that address all our patients’ needs.”
Personalized Survivorship Care Plans Improve Health Outcomes for Low-Income Breast Cancer Survivors [ASCO] The researchers identified three factors that affect survivor health outcomes: survivors’ breast cancer knowledge, confidence in interacting with physicians, and having a usual source of health care (e.g., primary care provider).
Persistent Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) Is Common in Female Cancer Survivors, Altering Gait and Increasing Falls [ASCO] A new study of women cancer survivors indicates that 45% still have chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy symptoms years after completing cancer treatment.
	6.1 Observation
Should the NHS publish data on cancer surgeons? [Cancer Research UK] Møller and other experts argue that it’s idealistic to assume that one could adequately isolate the varitions in the quality of care by adjusting comparisons of patients’ risks and other factors.
Why are women with brain tumours being dismissed as attention-seekers? [The Guardian] This week, the Brain Tumour Charity reported that women with brain tumours are being dismissed as attention-seekers or told they are just tired – only getting a diagnosis after several trips to the doctor. This delay can be catastrophic.
	6.10 Politiques
NIH asked to fight price gouging by overriding drug patents [STAT] A group of 50 congressional lawmakers wants the Obama administration to develop guidelines that would require drug makers to license their patents to others in a bid to end “price gouging.”
	6.6 Publications
Cancer Cell paper under investigation following anonymous queries on PubPeer [Retraction Watch] The 2012 paper sparked a lively dialogue last month on the post-publication discussion site, as commenters questioned Western blot images in which some bands appeared to be duplicates.