Onco Actu du 2 août 2019

	1. BIOLOGIE
Protective protein not only guards against DNA damage, but could help better target fast-growing cancer cells [University of Sussex] Dr Chan believes that the identification of the new role played by PLK1 could help clinicians develop cancer treatments which better target fast growing cells by not just blocking their division but also by simultaneously damaging their chromosome integrity.
UC researchers unlock cancer cells’ feeding mechanism [University of Cincinnati] Sasaki says researchers saw an elevated level of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) in cancer cells, which accelerates GTP production and in turn fuels nucleolus growth. This is a major step toward solving the mystery surrounding nucleolus growth in cancer cells, he says.
	1.4 BIOLOGIE - TECHNOS, MODÈLES
Using a more diverse microbiome, scientists look to create a better lab mouse [STAT] The researchers behind the new work took a different approach. They transferred embryos of a common breed of lab mouse into the wombs of wild mice, in a kind of surrogacy, to make sure that the entire microbiome was transferred over.
New Mouse Model Predicts Two Clinical Trial Failures in Humans [The Scientist] “I don’t want to create the impression . . . that laboratory mice are horrible for research and we shouldn’t do anything with them,” says Rosshart, emphasizing that the wildlings may be best suited for certain types of research such as immunology. “But you can make laboratory mice better, and that’s what we are trying to do.”
Could lab mice born to wild parents improve the search for human cures? [Science] “Wildling” rodents could overcome roadblocks in immunology research.
“Wildling” mice could help translate results in animal models to results in humans [NIH] NIH researchers create mouse colony to address shortcomings of laboratory mice.
	2. ETIOLOGIE
How a 6,000-Year-Old Dog Cancer Spread Around the World [Wired] A massive collection of dog tumor samples is revealing the secrets of a contagious, parasite-like cancer that could help explain human cancers too.
Cancer without end? Discovery yields fresh insights [MedicalXpress] CTVT (canine transmissible venereal tumor) is an incredible natural experiment, which showed us that it doesn't take much for a cancer to reach an optimal state. It is amazing that it did not discover additional adaptations over thousands of years, even as it infected all different breeds of dogs in all different environments around the world.
	3.3 PRÉVENTION - VACCINS
Merck's spending big to support Gardasil, and the HPV vaccine keeps pumping along [Fierce Pharma] HPV vaccine Gardasil 9 has been pumping in recent years, and the trend continued in the second quarter. The shot posted 50% growth at constant exchange rates over last year’s second quarter to $886 million. And the company is gearing up to keep the shot's growth coming.
	3.4.1 CHIMIOPRÉVENTION - ASPIRINE
Colorectal cancer: diagnosis and management (update) [NICE] The optimal dose of aspirin that balances the benefits of aspirin as prevention of colorectal cancer and the potential increased bleeding risk especially with higher doses remains unclear and the committee was not able to recommend a dose, though an ongoing trial is currently studying this. A commonly used dose in current practice is either 150 mg or 300 mg.
Prescribe daily aspirin to prevent colorectal cancers, doctors told [The Telegraph] Carriers of Lynch Syndrome, which affects roughly one in 300 people, would gain significant protection against bowel, rectal and colon cancers from the daily pill, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).
	4.12 BIOPSIES LIQUIDES
Personalised ‘liquid biopsy’ could detect return of breast cancer nearly eleven months earlier than hospital scans [Institute of Cancer Research] At follow-up of approximately three years, 29 of 144 patients had seen their breast cancer return. 23 of these 29 patients had cancer DNA detected in their blood prior to relapse, with the ‘liquid biopsies’ spotting the signs of recurrence on average 10.7 months before their clinical diagnosis.
	4.15 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - IMAGERIE
New imaging method is more effective at detecting prostate cancer recurrence than standard scan [UCLA] Prostate-specific membrane antigen imaging should be the positron emission tomography imaging agent of choice for men who have a prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy, which needs to be detected and located. For these men, it should become the standard of care, the researchers recommended.
	5.10 TRAITEMENTS - ESSAIS
Ibrutinib–Rituximab Improves Survival Compared With Current Treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia [AJMC] The ibrutinib–rituximab combination was especially beneficial for patients without immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region mutation, a group that historically did not respond as well to the standard treatment regimen.
	5.12.5 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - PHARMA
Nektar Therapeutics and Bristol-Myers Squibb Announce U.S. FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214) in Combination with Opdivo® (nivolumab) for the Treatment of Patients with Untreated Advanced Melanoma [BMS] Bempegaldesleukin is designed to stimulate cancer-killing immune cells in the body by targeting CD122 receptors found on the surface of these immune cells.
	5.12.8 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - ECONOMIE
Janssen returns rights for experimental cancer immunotherapy to Alligator Bioscience, sending shares spiraling by 40% [Pharmafile] ADC-1013, as the candidate is known, is currently in development at Phase 1 in the treatment of metastatic cancer.
ImCheck Therapeutics Awarded €2 Million From Bpifrance To Advance Its First-In Class Immunotherapy Program Into The Clinic [ImCheck] The support will be dedicated to conducting initial clinical studies of ICT01, a novel therapeutic anti-BTN3A activating monoclonal antibody designed to promote an anti-tumor response by γ9δ2 T cells. To date, ICT01 has demonstrated activity in a range of in vitro and in vivo tumor models.
	5.17 TRAITEMENTS - RADIOTHÉRAPIE
Inconsistent Reporting of Methodologies Makes Most Radiation Biology Studies Impossible to Replicate [University of Maryland] The researchers found that the source of radiation used in the study (such as low vs high energy X-rays or gamma rays) was unclear or ambiguous in nearly 14 percent of the studies they reviewed. They also found that only 1 percent of studies listed the protocol the researchers used to calibrate the machines, and only 16 percent named the equipment used to measure the absorbed radiation dose.
	5.2 PHARMA
Still trailing far behind a blockbuster rival, Novartis gathers another round of positive survival data for Kisqali [EndPoints] The key question, though, is what’s it going to take to carve away market share from the dominant CDK 4/6 — Pfizer’s Ibrance — which hit the market several years ago.
	5.3 TRAITEMENTS - FDA, EMA, NICE...
FDA-EMA workshop discusses quality challenges for PRIME, breakthrough therapies [EndPoints] In addition to the focus on early access approaches, the workshop discussed process validation, control strategies, good manufacturing practice (GMP) compliance, comparability, stability and regulatory tools.
	5.4 TRAITEMENTS - ECONOMIE
A watchdog group sets aside emotions to assess drugs’ value. Patients say their lives are more than a number [STAT] But ICER’s reports are unlikely to stop using QALYs anytime soon. “It’s used by academics, it’s used by drug companies themselves, it’s used by countries around the world,” Pearson said of QALYs. “It’s easy to mischaracterize it,” he added.
	6.1 OBSERVATION
Stress in Cervical Cancer Patients is Associated With Higher Risk of Cancer-specific Mortality [AACR] They examined records of 4,245 patients diagnosed with cervical cancer in Sweden between Jan. 1, 2002, and Dec. 31, 2011. Using Swedish personal identification numbers, they linked the patients to the Swedish Patient Register, which collects nationwide information on hospital discharge records and specialist visits.
Families seek answers for US rise in childhood cancers [The Guardian] Through the website thereasonswhy.us, the study will harness social media to help collate information from a wide geographical spread. Families with their own experiences of childhood cancers will sign up and receive a questionnaire in the coming months seeking information including the manifestation and progression of their cancers as well as demographics.
	6.10.1 POLITIQUES (USA)
White House Floats Canadian Import Plan But Excludes Many Costly Drugs [Xconomy] The first proposal excludes a wide swath of expensive drugs, such as biologics, intravenous therapies, and inhaled drugs. Also excluded are dozens of drugs that come with “risk evaluation and mitigation strategies” (REMS), which are plans to communicate a drug’s risks to both physicians and patients.
	6.9 CONTROVERSES
The untold story of the ‘circle of trust’ behind the world’s first gene-edited babies [Science] That circle included leading scientists—among them a Nobel laureate—in China and the United States, business executives, an entrepreneur connected to venture capitalists, authors of the NASEM report, a controversial U.S. IVF specialist who discussed opening a gene-editing clinic with He, and at least one Chinese politician.