Onco Actu du 31 juillet 2019

	1. BIOLOGIE
Research Shows Minor Subsets of Tumor Cells Play Major Role in Metastasis [Dana-Farber Cancer Institute] The goal of the new study was to uncover how the IL11- and FIGF-expressing subclones — which together constitute less than 5% of all the cells in the breast tumor model used by researchers — collaborate to make tumors so aggressive, and why tumors and their metastatic growths are often composed of multiple subclones, some of which spur tumor growth and some of which don’t.
Simultaneous infection by two viruses the key to studying rare lymphoma [University of Wisconsin] New research has found that primary effusion lymphoma can be simulated in the lab only by simultaneously infecting white blood cells with two viruses typically found in the tumors.
UVA Discovers Incredible ‘HULLK’ That Controls Growth of Prostate Cancer [University of Virginia] The researchers found that there is more HULLK in tumor samples from patients with advanced prostate cancer. They also found that decreasing the level of HULLK in cultured prostate cancer cells slows tumor cell growth.
	1.1 BIOLOGIE - GÉNOME
Pan-Cancer Study Uncovers TP53 Mutation Consequences, Related Prognostic Expression Signature [Genome Web] With the data on hand, though, the researchers were able to get a look at not only the distribution of TP53 mutations across cancer types and the mutation-prone sites in the gene, but also the interplay between TP53 mutations and other tumor genome features, ranging from genomic stability to gene and protein expression.
p53 mutations in cancer patients shed light on gene’s function [Baylor College of Medicine] The team found that across all cancer types studied, TP53 mutations were more frequent in patients with poorer survival rates. But they also identified a way to more accurately predict prognosis. Donehower said he identified four upregulated genes in mutant TP53 tumors, whose expression correlated to patient outcome.
	2.11 ETIOLOGIE - ALIMENTATION
Nutrition Studies Are Just Terrible [The Incidental Economist] Sometimes researchers don’t do careful work, and the systems in place don’t always prevent weak research from being published. Add that to the fact that media outlets tend to overblow stories about food and cancer, and it’s a recipe for research disaster.
	3.8 PRÉVENTION - ALIMENTATION
Leading oncologists and nutritionists pinpoint key areas to catalyze nutrition-based cancer prevention research and interventions [Ludwig Cancer Research] The current nutrition and cancer evidence-base is largely observational and prone to confounding, and long-term diet is difficult to assess. New analytical approaches and global networks are helping researchers to move from observational associations to causal links.
	4.2 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - GÉNOME
Bioethicists worried patients couldn’t handle their own genetic testing results. They were (mostly) wrong [STAT] Just as genetic researchers have altered their approach in recognition of the complexity of the genome, those concerned about the impact of genetic test results on patients and consumers may also benefit from a conceptual reboot.
	4.9 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - SEIN
Breast cancer screening review announced as demand grows [BBC News] "The Scottish Breast Screening Programme needs to adapt to meet current demand. The number of women eligible for screening is growing and the programme needs to be able to keep pace with the increasing population and changes in technology and lifestyles."
	5.10 TRAITEMENTS - ESSAIS
Lilly cancer push boosted by survival benefit to key drug [Biopharma Dive] Detailed data were not disclosed, however, so it's unclear how effective Verzenio was.
Lilly's Verzenio® (abemaciclib) Significantly Extended Life in Women with HR+, HER2- Advanced Breast Cancer in MONARCH 2 [Lilly] Verzenio is the first and only CDK4 & 6 inhibitor in combination with fulvestrant to achieve statistically significant improvement in overall survival.
	5.12.2 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - CAR-T, THÉRAPIES CELLULAIRES
Expensive Gilead, Novartis cancer therapies losing patients to experimental treatments [Reuters] Vizient analyzed health insurance claims from 58 major U.S. hospitals, including most of the centers authorized to administer CAR-Ts. The consultancy found that medical bills for clinical trial patients, who receive the cell therapies free of charge from the drugmaker, were about 50% percent lower than costs for people treated with Yescarta or Kymriah on a commercial basis.
	5.12.5 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - PHARMA
Eli Lilly axes an early-stage PD-L1/TIM-3 bispecific program in latest pipeline cleanup [EndPoints] The Phase I on their checkpoint combo LY3415244 was intended to run through next fall, following up on an approach that would combine a checkpoint-inspired immune assault on cancer cells with TIM-3 — designed to take the foot off a biological response that limits T cell attacks, particularly among CD8 T cells.
	5.12.8 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - ECONOMIE
Merck shuns big M&A, growth concerns as Keytruda keeps steamrolling [Fierce Pharma] Until now, Keytruda and its rivals have been used largely in the metastatic setting, but earlier use will provide “the next key battleground,” Credit Suisse analyst Vamil Divan has said. He and his team estimate the market for PD-1/PD-L1 meds could hit $29 billion in the adjuvant setting alone.
Sales gap grows between rival Merck, Bristol cancer therapies [Biopharma Dive] Annualized, the second-quarter performance of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) makes the immunotherapy a $10 billion-a-year drug, a bar reached by only a few products in an industry full of billion-dollar molecules.
	5.16 TRAITEMENTS - CHIRURGIE
New material could make it easier to remove colon polyps [MIT] MIT researchers have developed a material that can be injected as a liquid then turn into a solid gel. They believe it holds promise for improving colonoscopies, in which saline is currently injected below precancerous growths to make them easier to remove.
	5.17 TRAITEMENTS - RADIOTHÉRAPIE
Ad­juvant ra­dio­ther­apy may be be­ne­fi­cial in treat­ing loc­ally ad­vanced pro­state can­cer [University of Helsinki] The randomised study carried out in 2004–2012 included 250 patients. Of these 250 patients, 126 received adjuvant radiotherapy after the removal of the prostate, while the treatment of 124 patients consisted of the mere removal of the prostate.
	5.2 PHARMA
Amgen's KRAS drug shows promise in 2 additional cancers: colorectal and appendiceal [Fierce Biotech] Amgen reported in its second-quarter earnings presentation Tuesday that AMG 510 shrank tumors in patients with colorectal cancer and cancer of the appendix. Details were thin, but the news is a win for the drug, which was tested in 19 patients with colorectal cancer and 2 patients with appendiceal cancer.
	5.3 TRAITEMENTS - FDA, EMA, NICE...
New Guidance Documents Lay Foundations in Reporting on Medicines Shortages in the EU [ESMO] Both documents lay the foundations for an improved and harmonised EU approach in reporting of and communication on medicines’ shortages and availability issues, a key public health priority for the EU network.
	5.3.4 TRAITEMENTS - AMM (FDA, EMA,...)
U.S. FDA approves darolutamide, a new treatment for men with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer [Bayer] Approval based on Phase III ARAMIS trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of darolutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) compared to placebo plus ADT.
Orion, Bayer prostate cancer drug gets FDA approval [Reuters] According to the 2014 deal Bayer has the right to commercialize daroluramide globally while Orion will manufacture the product and receive milestone payments upon first sale in different markets.
	6.7.1 IA/BIOINFORMATIQUE
Three pitfalls to avoid in machine learning [Nature] It is easy for machine-learning practitioners to become fixated on an ‘obvious’ objective in which the data and labels are clear. But they could be setting up the algorithm to solve the wrong problem. The overall aim must be kept in mind, or we will produce precise systems that answer the wrong questions.