Onco Actu du 12 février 2020

	1.4 BIOLOGIE - TECHNOS, MODÈLES
Super-precise CRISPR tool enhanced by enzyme engineering [Nature] Base editing, first described in 2016, offers greater control than does conventional CRISPR–Cas9 editing, but can also introduce random, ‘off-target’ changes to the genome. The new enzymes are less likely to make these errors, so could allow researchers to develop safer gene therapies.
	2.4 ETIOLOGIE - PORTABLES, ONDES E-M
No, there’s no evidence that cell phones give you cancer [MIT Technology Review] The FCC has repeatedly insisted that 5G is safe, and this report concurs.
FDA report continues to see no link between cellphones and cancer [Medical XPress] The report stops short of a 100% conclusion. In fact, the FDA continues to urge researchers to conduct live studies on animals and humans, as well as shift some of the focus from the general population to subsets of people who many be predisposed to tumor risk.
Review of Published Literature between 2008 and 2018 of Relevance to Radiofrequency Radiation and Cancer [FDA] To date, there is no consistent or credible scientific evidence of health problems caused by the exposure to radio frequency energy emitted by cell phones.
	3.3 PRÉVENTION - VACCINS
Can a single injection prevent cervical cancer? [NHS Choices] Overall, the findings are interesting, but by themselves are not enough to suggest that a change is needed in how many doses of HPV vaccinations are given in the UK.
	4.3 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - INDUSTRIELS
Myriad Submits sPMA for myChoice® CDx with Lynparza® in First-Line Maintenance Therapy in Advanced Ovarian Cancer [Myriad] Myriad’s filing is based on the positive results from the Phase 3 PAOLA-1 trial of Lynparza that was published online in the New England Journal of Medicine in December 2019.
	5.1 TRAITEMENTS - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
'Genetic rewiring' drives cancer’s drug resistance [Institute of Cancer Research] The study, which involved mice and human tissue samples, revealed that by blocking MIR1249 activity, cancer cells became more sensitive to chemotherapy and responded better to treatment.
	5.16 TRAITEMENTS - CHIRURGIE
Robot-assisted high-precision surgery has passed its first test in humans [MIT Technology Review] Very high-precision surgery is a niche where robotic gadgets could potentially prove their worth, essentially by turning decent surgeons into world-class ones. However, they’ll need to be tested by many more surgeons on a lot more patients for us to be sure.
Robots steady breast cancer surgeon's hands in first human trial [The Guardian] The operation, which requires immense care and precision, is offered to some breast cancer patients to reduce swelling in the arms that builds up when the lymphatic system cannot drain properly. Because the vessels are so small, surgeons need exceptionally steady hands to perform the operation well.
	5.17 TRAITEMENTS - RADIOTHÉRAPIE
Is Proton Therapy Safer than Traditional Radiation? [NCI] Because of those limitations, “the evidence needed to truly justify the expenses of proton therapy … will need to come from phase 3 randomized clinical trials.”
	5.2 PHARMA
XTANDI® (enzalutamide) Demonstrates Significant Improvement in Overall Survival in Phase 3 PROSPER Trial of Patients with nmCRPC [Astellas] Detailed efficacy and safety results from the final PROSPER OS analysis will be shared at a later date.
Pfizer, Astellas' Xtandi scores Bayer-matching win in extending prostate cancer patients' lives [Fierce Pharma] Xtandi significantly extended patients' lives over standard-of-care hormone therapy in nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, according to an overall survival analysis from the phase 3 Prosper trial released Tuesday.
Janssen Announces Submission to U.S. FDA for New DARZALEX® (Daratumumab)-Based Combination Regimen for Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma [Johnson & Johnson] Application is based on positive data from the Phase 3 CANDOR study, which were presented at the 2019 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting.
Novartis nabs priority review for a blockbuster-to-be aimed at NSCLC niche — delighting Incyte execs [EndPoints] A companion diagnostic will likely be key to the adoption of any of these treatments. Novartis has teamed up with Foundation Medicine — now a Roche subsidiary — to include tumor tissue and liquid biopsy diagnostics on its flagship products.
	5.2.6 PHARMA - BIOTECH
Ex-Pfizer oncology R&D lead lands at Fierce 15 winner Vividion Therapeutics [Fierce Biotech] Vividion spun out of Scripps back in 2017; it’s still pretty quiet on specifics of its pipeline, but it's looking to work on cancer and immunology through its selective small-molecule therapeutic platform.
Upstart cancer biotech recruits a top Pfizer oncology researcher as CSO — could an IPO be far behind? [EndPoints] Abraham had been with Pfizer for 11 years, since the pharma giant bought out Wyeth and kept him on. Abraham should be intimately familiar with Vividion’s small molecule pipeline, unlike the rest of us who are still awaiting some detail on exactly what the upstart is planning.
Agios' Lewis Cantley returns with a new company and, he claims, a major oncological discovery [EndPoints] “Chromosomal instability has been considered a black box, we didn’t know where to begin,” Bakhoum said. “It allows now for the first time to slowly and rigorously develop areas of therapeutic intervention.”
	5.5.14 ASCO (VESSIE)
Seattle Genetics and Astellas Announce Updated Results from Phase 1b/2 Trial of PADCEV™ (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) in Combination with Immune Therapy Pembrolizumab as Investigational First-Line Treatment for Advanced Bladder Cancer [Seattle Genetics] After Median Follow-Up of 11.5 Months, 73 Percent of Patients Had Confirmed Tumor Response with Majority of Responses Still Ongoing; No New Safety Signals Observed for the Combination.
Merck-allied Seattle Genetics’ positive update on its 2nd ADC may point to an accelerated dash to the FDA finish line [EndPoints] In an abstract for the ASCO Genitourinary Cancer Symposium Meeting, the group has now been treated for 11.5 months, demonstrating “impressive durability that appears to translate to overall survival and progression-free survival benefits.”
	5.5.15 ASCO (BIOPSIES LIQUIDES)
Circulating Tumor DNA–Based Detection of Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer Could Offer Noninvasive Method of Diagnosis [ASCO Daily News] “The results of this study are encouraging, supporting the chance of avoiding more invasive biopsies in the future. However, the clinical utility of these findings should be carefully evaluated.”
	5.5.3 ASCO (PROSTATE)
Exelixis prostate cancer data could help stave off competitive threats [Biopharma Dive] Exelixis said it hopes to ask the FDA for approval in prostate cancer in 2021, based on data from this trial and an expansion.
Exelixis Announces Encouraging Results for Cabozantinib in Combination With Atezolizumab in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer [Exelixis] The objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v. 1.1, the trial’s primary endpoint, was 32%, including two complete responses and 12 partial responses.
	6.1 OBSERVATION
Statins May Lower Mortality in High-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients [Thomas Jefferson University] Using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER-18) database linked with Medicare files, Dr. Lu-Yao and colleagues looked at patients diagnosed with cancer from 2007 through to 2011. Based on 12,700 patients, the researchers observed that statins alone or in combination with metformin was significantly associated with reduced mortality from all causes.
	6.11 PATIENTS
Proposing a Bill of Rights for Patients With Cancer [JCO Oncology Practice] Multiple patient bill of rights documents exist, but we could identify only one focused on cancer care. The European Cancer Concord (ECC), a partnership of European oncologists and patients, recognized disparities in public information about, and access to, cancer care—along with other issues in oncology care.
	6.5 MÉDECINES ALTERNATIVES/COMPLÉMENTAIRES
Can CAM help alleviate musculoskeletal symptoms in breast cancer patients from aromatase inhibitors like letrozole? [Respectful insolence] At the very least, this study shows no signal suggesting that “integrative oncology” methods might be effective in alleviating letrozole-induced musculoskeletal symptoms.
	6.6 PUBLICATIONS, POLITIQUES SCIENTIFIQUES
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Kudos partner to help authors improve article reach and impact [Kudos] Through the Kudos article-sharing toolkit, PNAS authors will now be supported in explaining the significance of their work and leveraging a range of sites and platforms to broaden their readership.