Onco Actu du 22 juin 2018

	1. Biologie
Non-coding DNA reveals a route by which advanced prostate cancer resists treatment [Dana-Farber Cancer Institute] Two research teams converge on epigenetic switches that feed treatment-resistant metastatic prostate tumors. This research highlights the value of exploring gene regulation and large-scale structural changes in the cancer genome.
Weighing in on weight loss in pancreatic cancer [Nature] Weight loss and tissue wasting often occur in pancreatic cancer. Analyses of human and mouse data reveal a mechanism behind these events, and raise the question of whether tissue wasting affects cancer survival rates.
	4. Dépistage, diagnostic et pronostic
Understanding medical tests: A new addition to our toolkit addressing sensitivity, specificity, and other core concepts [HealthNewsReview] Unlike many news story headlines, I’m not going to pretend that medical tests are “simple” to understand. But in a new addition to our toolkit published today, I brought in lots of case studies and examples that help illustrate core testing concepts–such as the difference between diagnosis and screening–and show why they are important.
	4.2 Dép., diag. & prono. - Génome
Lawmakers press genetic testing companies for details on their privacy policies [STAT] The Democratic lawmakers are hoping to work with the companies — 23andMe, AncestryDNA, Family Tree DNA, and National Geographic Geno — to identify and resolve any privacy and security issues.
	4.3 Dép., diag. & prono. - Industriels
SOPHiA GENETICS acquires Interactive Biosoftware to drive growth and accelerate Data-Driven Medicine adoption around the world [SOPHiA GENETICS] Interactive Biosoftware was founded in April 2007, in Rouen, France, by a group of medical and computer scientists focusing on practical software applications for health care and life sciences, particularly in the field of genomics.
	5.1 Traitements - Pré-clinique
Scripps Research study provides new clues to improving chemotherapies [The Scripps Research Institute] “These findings raise the possibility that the human microbiota might impact the efficacy of enediyne-based drugs and should be taken into consideration when developing new chemotherapies.”
	5.10 Traitements - Essais
Nanobiotix Announces Positive Phase Ii/Iii Topline Data In Soft Tissue Sarcoma With Nbtxr3 [Nanobiotix] Pr Jean-Yves Blay, MD, Director of the Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France, commented, “I am amazed by the difference of Response Rate, it is extremely uncommon to double the Rate of Complete histological Response and I do not see any other strategy able to accomplish that." The Company will present the results at an upcoming international medical conference.
	5.12 Immunothérapies
We need more answers about immunotherapy for the elderly [STAT] As we age, our immune systems change, presenting us with new challenges. Access to promising, life-extending cancer treatments like immunotherapy should not be among these challenges simply because older patients have not been included in clinical trials.
	5.12.5 Immunothérapies - Pharma
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Accepts Application for Opdivo Plus Low-Dose Yervoy for Treatment of First-Line Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Patients with Tumor Mutational Burden ≥10 mut/Mb [BMS] Submission based on positive results from Part 1 of the Phase 3 study CheckMate -227.
	5.2 Pharma
Mauled by a major setback, Incyte is pointing to a better future — but concedes it also had to scrap another failed study [EndPoints] While execs also spotlighted progress among its top-tier development efforts, Incyte also noted that it’s scrapping a clinical trial for INCB50465, a PI3Kδ drug, after it failed to measure up in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma.
	5.3 Traitements - FDA, EMA, NICE...
Interested in joining the Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) to represent patients’ associations or clinicians? [EMA] Call for expressions of interest open until 18 July 2018.
	5.6.16 ESMO - Appareil digestif
Pembrolizumab Fails to Show Survival Benefit in PD-L1 ≥1 Gastric/GEJ Cancers [OncLive] In the trial, 592 patients with metastic or locally advanced and unresectable gastric or GEJ cancer were randomized 1:1 to receive pembrolizumab at 200 mg every 3 weeks or paclitaxel at 80 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of 4-week cycles.
	6.1 Observation
Higher body fat linked to lower breast cancer risk in younger women [UNC] Nichols said multiple factors could be contributing to the link between higher BMI and lower breast cancer risk in younger women, such as differences in hormones, including estrogen, growth factors, or breast density.
	6.10.1 Politiques (USA)
As I predicted, the exploitation of desperate patients using right-to-try begins [Respectful Insolence] Poor Dr. Gottlieb. He thought that right-to-try was about expanding access to promising therapeutic agents and not about emasculating the FDA. Well, Sen. Johnson sure set him straight, and because Sen. Johnson set Dr. Gottlieb straight I highly doubt that Dr. Gottlieb will be too enthusiastic about being too aggressive going after companies like BrainStorm looking to profit (whether “modestly” or otherwise) from right-to-try.
Welcome to Right to Try [In the Pipeline] What the hell. The customers are going to die, anyway. Why should they die with their money as well?
	6.12 Ethique
The Strategic Lies of Oncologists [NY Times] Is it ethical to break cost-controlling rules for a patient’s benefit? At a fork in the road, the doctor must make a decision worthy of the Greek heroine Antigone.
	6.6 Publications
Latest ranking of top research institutions show China coming on strong — with significant implications for biotech [EndPoints] Nature assembled its closely-watched annual index of research centers around the world, and China continues to hold the top spot, along with an overall second-place finish on academic institutions — behind the US.
Some science journals that claim to peer review papers do not do so [The Economist] A rising number of journals that claim to review submissions in this way do not bother to do so. Not coincidentally, this seems to be leading some academics to inflate their publication lists with papers that might not pass such scrutiny.
	6.9 Controverses
He was once a prominent cancer researcher. Then his gambling — and a finding of scientific misconduct — got in the way. [Retraction Watch] Before his resignation, Rao was one of the highest paid employees at the university, making $700,000 per year. He joined the University of Illinois in 2001 from MD Anderson, but even his hiring wasn’t without controversy.