Onco Actu du 9 avril 2018

	1. Biologie
This Scientist Discovered That One Molecule Makes Naked Mole Rats Immune to Cancer. Will it Work in Humans? [Elysium Health] Hyaluronan was a very serendipitous finding, because it has the same structure in both humans and naked mole rats. So it’s already a part of our bodies. The big difference is that naked mole rats have a lot of hyaluronan, and the molecules are longer than ours.
	1.1 Biologie - Gènes
Major milestone reached in effort to ID cancers’ genetic roots [WUSTL] Altogether, the researchers identified about 300 genes that drive tumor growth. And, remarkably, just over half of all tumors analyzed carry genetic mutations that could be targeted by therapies already approved for use in patients.
Study of gene enhancers sheds light on how some cancers form and spread [MD Anderson Cancer Center] Examination of nearly 9,000 tumor samples across 33 cancer types reveals enhancers as key regulators of therapy targets, including PD-L1.
Cancer Genome Atlas studies reveal new insights, set stage for future research and treatment development [Broad Institute] The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network’s systematic push to comprehensively analyze 33 forms of cancer marks the “end of the beginning” of cancer genomics.
NIH researchers use genomics to set squamous cell carcinomas apart from other cancers [NIH] Results could advance treatments for head and neck and other cancers.
NIH completes in-depth genomic analysis of 33 cancer types [NCI] The program, with over $300 million in total funding, involved upwards of 150 researchers at more than two dozen institutions across North America.
	2. Etiologie
J&J loses trial over claims linking cancer to asbestos in talc [Reuters] The jury awarded Lanzo $30 million and his wife $7 million in compensatory damages. It found J&J was responsible for 70 percent of the damages and said a unit of France-based Imerys SA, its talc supplier, was responsible for 30 percent.
	2.5 Etiologie - Gènes
Hundreds of Inherited Gene Variants Contribute to Cancer [The Scientist] In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers find more than 850 rare, heritable genetic alterations that can predispose humans to cancer.
	2.7 Etiologie - Obésité
Is BMI the Best Measure for Obesity? [Cancer Research Catalyst] Despite its limitations, obesity as calculated by BMI has been causally linked to 14 types of cancer. The underlying causes that link obesity and cancer are not fully understood, yet several mechanisms have been implicated in disease progression, as highlighted in a previous post on this blog.
	3. Prévention
5 ways research can help prevent cancer [Cancer Research UK] We found that around 4 in 10 cancer cases could be prevented by things like not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, enjoying the sun safely and cutting back on alcohol. But there are more sides to cancer prevention research than just smoking and obesity. Here we look at some of them.
	3.2 Prévention - Obésité
Britain's sugar tax on soft drinks comes into effect [Reuters] Britain’s sugar tax on soft drinks came into effect on Friday, a move that will lead to some higher prices as the country seeks to battle childhood obesity.
Soft drinks sugar tax to tackle obesity ‘has already had an effect’ [Cancer Research UK] Since the tax was announced around half of drinks that would have been taxed have reduced the level of added sugar in their recipes.
	4.1 Dép., diag. & prono. - Prostate
Prostate cancer: Four in 10 cases diagnosed late, charity says [BBC News] Prof Anne Mackie, director of programmes for the UK National Screening Committee, said the PSA test was not offered universally because it was not very good at predicting which men have cancer.
	4.12 Biopsies liquides
Putting pathology back in the spotlight [PHG Foundation] The consolidation of genetic testing services in England into seven genomic laboratory hubs will significantly alter the landscape of genetics services – at this time of great change, it is vital that pathology does not get left behind.
	4.2 Dép., diag. & prono. - Génome
Five things to know about direct-to-consumer genetic tests [Johns Hopkins] The human chromosome can reveal many things about our health—but does direct-to-consumer genetic testing live up to the hype?
Genome sequencing of first 50,000 UK Biobank participants [European Pharmaceutical Review] Funded by a £30M grant from the MRC, sequencing of the whole genome will be undertaken during 2018 and 2019 by the Wellcome Sanger Institute which is based in Cambridge.
	5. Traitements
Using mathematical models to determine the best chemotherapy schedules [USC] The duo found that chemotherapeutic schedules should be determined by the growth rate of the tumor, something not currently done in a clinical setting.
Creative Minds: Optimizing Radio-Immunotherapy for Cancer [NIH Director's Blog] Delivering just a tiny dose of radiation to all tumor sites is difficult to do with conventional radiation without also wiping out the good immune cells. To get around this problem, Morris and colleagues are using molecularly targeted radiation therapy.
	5.1 Traitements - Pré-clinique
Medical studies in humans often launched on faulty evidence base [Reuters] “The way the animal studies are currently reported in the investigator brochures really strongly compromises this risk-benefit assessment,” Strech told Reuters Health in a telephone interview.
Halting Intracranial Tumor Growth [Harvard Medical School] The findings, published online in Scientific Reports, suggest that mifepristone is a promising drug candidate to be repositioned for the treatment of these tumors.
Shoddy Preclinical Data Used in Clinical Trial Proposals [The Scientist] Applications for Phase 1 and 2 human studies in Germany frequently lack sufficient information about an intervention’s efficacy in animal experiments, according to a new study.
	5.10 Traitements - Essais
Unnecessary exclusions shut patients out of clinical trials [STAT] In our study, we found many clinical trials add restrictions related to the risks of new treatments, but often fail to remove those that are no longer relevant.
	5.12.10 Immunothérapies - Fusions et acquisitions
Celgene on biotech hunt with Agios, Jounce in crosshairs: FT [FierceBiotech] Specific names have been put forward, according to the sources: immuno-oncology biotech and Fierce 15 winner Agios, which Celgene already backs, and Jounce, another Fierce 15 winner, which recently got off a $104 million IPO last year, and also focuses on immuno-oncology.
Novartis inks $8.7B AveXis buyout to build gene therapy unit [FierceBiotech] Novartis will emerge from the takeover as a leader in CAR-T and AAV9 gene therapies, two of the most promising fields in biotech.
	5.12.3 Immunothérapies-combinaisons
Incyte, Merck Cancer Trial Failure Damages IDO Drugs’ Prospects [Xconomy] The concept of blocking IDO has drawn considerable interest to the new drug class. In 2015, Bristol-Myers Squibb paid $800 million up front to acquire a big piece of Flexus Biosciences, including its IDO drug. Last week, San Francisco-based Tempest Therapeutics raised $70 million in financing to back its IDO inhibitor, which executives say could have advantages over the current slate of experimental IDO drugs.
Incyte’s cancer drug fails trial, marking major blow for immunotherapy combination treatment [STAT] The negative outcome of the Incyte Phase 3 clinical trial, known as ECHO-301, has far-ranging ramifications. It’s a big setback for Incyte and for melanoma patients. But the trial results could also ripple across the fledgling cancer immunotherapy field and the biotech stock sector.
Incyte and Merck Provide Update on Phase 3 Study of Epacadostat in Combination with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma [Business Wire] Incyte and Merck will inform investigators of the results and work with investigators to appropriately conclude the study in a manner consistent with the best interests of each patient. Data from this study will be analyzed and submitted for presentation at an upcoming scientific congress.
Keytruda/epacadostat combo crashes in PhIII melanoma study, raising questions about the future of IDO for Incyte [EndPoints] The failure of this first late-stage test, after stoking hopes for some major advances, now leaves Incyte’s drug in a precarious position, creating a crisis for CEO Hervé Hoppenot.
	5.2.2 Pharma - Fusions & Acquisitions
Roche completes acquisition of Flatiron Health [Roche] As oncology leaders in their respective fields, the acquisition allows both companies to accelerate progress towards data-driven personalised healthcare in cancer.
	5.3.4 Traitements - AMM (FDA, EMA,...)
Rubraca® (Rucaparib) Approved In The U.S. As Maintenance Treatment Of Recurrent Ovarian Cancer [Clovis Oncology] Rubraca received regular approval in this broader and earlier-line indication based on positive data from the phase 3 ARIEL3 clinical trial.
	5.4 Traitements - Economie
Patients pay the price when hospitals mark up cancer medicines [PhRMA] As insurers continue to raise patients’ share of health care spending, and hospitals buy up community physicians, these high prices increase patient costs. For underinsured patients or those who need out-of-network services, the impact can be even greater.
Why do new medicines cost so much, and what can we do about it? [The Guardian] They estimate the health service could save £200m to £300m a year – maybe more – by embracing the biosimilars coming along, which include a version of the breast cancer drug trastuzumab, better known as Herceptin. But campaigners say patients with cancers and other life-threatening diseases who don’t have loads of money cannot just wait for the patents to run out.
	6.12 Ethique
Ethicists find fault with cancer centers marketing their clinical trials as a patient benefit [HealthNewsReview] Alex John London, PhD, of Carnegie Mellon University and Jonathan Kimmelman, PhD, of McGill University wrote in JAMA Oncology that “strong messages equating access to clinical trials with therapy imply that unproven drugs are already established as therapy.”
	6.3 Associations/Fondations
Patient Advocacy Groups Take In Millions From Drugmakers. Is There A Payback? [KHN] The 14 companies that contributed $116 million to patient advocacy groups reported only about $63 million in lobbying activities that same year.
	6.7 DMP, Big Data & applis
CancerLinQ CEO Kevin Fitzpatrick to Step Down; ASCO Chief Medical Officer, Richard L. Schilsky, MD, Will Serve as Interim CEO [ASCO] Today, more than 100 oncology practices representing more than 2,000 oncologists have signed on to join CancerLinQ®. The CancerLinQ® database contains more than a million cancer patient records, making it already one of the largest and most comprehensive data sets of its kind.
	6.7.1 IA/bioinformatique
Opinion: We Must Make Data More Accessible for Bioinformatics Training [The Scientist] In addition to programs geared towards transforming biologists into bioinformaticians, students need more raw material available for their education.
Bioinformatics for Precision Cancer Medicine [ESMO] The article describes the workflow of a molecular tumour board and the specific bioinformatics support that it requires, from the primary analysis of raw molecular profiling data to the automatic generation of a clinical report and its delivery to decision-making oncologists.
	6.7.2 Applis
Apple launches Health Records with 39 health systems. How soon will it reach clinical studies? [FierceBiotech] “This will not only help funnel patients to clinical trials, but it will help qualify them based on data standards. If patients can download their data, they will share their data,” said Dustin.