Onco Actu du 7 février 2020

	1. BIOLOGIE
Scientists discover how rogue communications between cells lead to Leukaemia [University of York] Our observations led us to a previously unknown mechanism for how individual mutations trigger blood stem cells to start signalling independently of cytokines, causing the normal system to become out of control and leading to diseases like leukaemia.
	1.1 BIOLOGIE - GÉNOME
Study provides new understanding of mitochondria genome with potential for new avenues of treatment for multiple cancers [MD Anderson Cancer Center] “Our results underscore the clinical importance of mitochondria. This study has untangled and characterized the full spectrum of molecular alterations of mitochondria in human cancers,” said Liang.
Chromothripsis in human cancer [EMBL] In this study, the researchers showed that chromothripsis events are much more common across many types of cancer than previously thought.
Analysis of human genomes in the cloud [EMBL] Main advantages of the new tool, called Butler, are continuous system monitoring and its ability to self-heal in case of failure, allowing for 43% more efficient data processing than previous approaches. The tool was developed for the Pan-Cancer project. The team published the method in Nature Biotechnology.
The era of massive cancer sequencing projects has reached a turning point [Nature] Gathering detailed clinical information is more difficult — and more expensive — than sequencing genomes, particularly in the many countries that lack a unified health-care system.
	2.14 ETIOLOGIE - TALC
J&J hit with massive talc punitive damages award, but judge plans reduction to $185M: reports [Fierce Pharma] The verdict ends a winning streak for J&J in its talc defense. Before the verdict, the company had prevailed in four consecutive talc trials. The drugmaker faces about 16,800 lawsuits alleging harm from talc, a Securities and Exchange Commission filing from October shows.
	3.1 PRÉVENTION - TABAC
Brazil gives big tobacco companies 30 days notice in smoking lawsuit [Reuters] The landmark lawsuit was filed by the AGU in May against the two multinational companies seeking to recover the public health costs for the treatment of 26 tobacco-related diseases over the previous five years.
	4.10 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - POUMON
CT Screening Reduces Lung Cancer Mortality [EMSO] The study data suggest greater benefits in women than in men, but in a subgroup with a relatively low number of women. More research is required in women, as well as in other subgroups.
	4.12 BIOPSIES LIQUIDES
MD Anderson Researchers Using Liquid Biopsy to Predict Melanoma Relapse [Genome Web] Acknowledging that the study's data did not indicate whether altering patients' therapy affected their outcome, Lucci noted that his team will see if it can determine dynamic changes with treatment in further studies.
	4.2 DÉP., DIAG. & PRONO. - GÉNOME
Despite Barriers, Labs Starting to Report Suspected Cancer Risk Mutations Seen in Tumor Testing [Genome Web] "Let's face it, when the patient in front of you has a lung cancer or has a pancreas cancer or a cancer of the ovary, you may be thinking there are bigger hurdles to jump and [discussing germline findings] is not our number one priority," she said. "However, the field is changing, and it will no longer be acceptable going forward to ignore these findings."
	5.1 TRAITEMENTS - PRÉ-CLINIQUE
Ultrasound Can Selectively Kill Cancer Cells [Caltech] If ultrasound can be used to cause cell death in a way that the body's immune system recognizes as injury, instead of as apoptosis, this could lead to the site of the tumor being flooded with white blood cells that could attack remaining cancer cells.
	5.12.2 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - CAR-T, THÉRAPIES CELLULAIRES
Scripps Research’s Calibr to Test “Switchable” CAR-T in Clinical Trial [Xconomy] The CAR-T therapy that Calibr plans to test brings a new approach to the engineered T cell therapy arena with a so-called “switchable” version intended to eliminate life-threatening side effects.
	5.12.2.1 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES CAR-NK
In small study, hints of promise for 'natural killer' cell therapy [Biopharma Dive] While positive, the results are limited by several factors which make drawing broader conclusions about the ultimate potential of the treatment difficult.
MD Anderson emerges with strong evidence for natural killer cell therapy, and Takeda looks like a winner [EndPoints] Much of the interest around natural killer cell therapy, or CAR-NK, stems from their potential as a form of “off-the-shelf CAR-T.”
CAR NK Cells Demonstrate Encouraging Preliminary Results, Study Shows [AJMC] Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR NK) cells, derived from donor umbilical cord blood, produced a 73% objective response rate in 11 patients with lymphoid tumors who received just 1 dose of the infused therapy, with no occurrences of cytokine release syndrome or neurotoxicity, in preliminary study results out of MD Anderson.
	5.12.2.2 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - CAR-T CRISPR
Stanford technology helps advance CRISPR-based cancer therapy [Stanford Medicine] In this study, Chang's single-cell analysis tool allowed scientists to see exactly what changes CRISPR successfully made, how those changes altered the T cell molecularly and how those changes affected the cell's function, providing key clues as to how the T cells are attacking the tumors.
Crispr'd Cells Show Promise in First US Human Safety Trial [Wired] Using genetically-edited cells to supercharge the immune system caused no adverse effects in cancer patients. It's too soon to tell if it can be a cure.
First U.S. attempt at CRISPR gene editing in cancer appears safe [Reuters] “Until now, it has been unknown whether CRISPR-Cas9 edited T cells would be tolerated and thrive once reinfused into a human,” Doudna writes. “The big question that remains unanswered by this study is whether CRISPR-edited, engineered T cells are effective against advanced cancer.”
Cutting-edge CRISPR gene editing appears safe in three cancer patients [Science] For these pioneers, the benefits were limited: One has since died, and the disease has worsened in the others. But the clinical trial, which underwent years of regulatory scrutiny, wasn’t designed to try to cure cancer, says Carl June, a cancer researcher at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) who co-led the work. Rather, its goal was to show that the strategy appeared feasible and safe.
	5.12.5 IMMUNOTHÉRAPIES - PHARMA
Bullish BMS downplays Opdivo decline as Celgene acquisition pays off [Fierce Pharma] BMS’ executives confirmed during the call that Opdivo’s decline in the fourth quarter was entirely driven by the U.S. market, which dropped around 10%.
	5.16 TRAITEMENTS - CHIRURGIE
Brain Tumor Surgery that Pushes Boundaries Boosts Patients Survival [UCSF] Survival may more than double for adults with glioblastoma, the most common and deadly type of brain tumor, if neurosurgeons remove the surrounding tissue as aggressively as they remove the cancerous core of the tumor.
	5.3.4 TRAITEMENTS - AMM (FDA, EMA,...)
Avapritinib Approved to Treat GIST with a Rare Gene Alteration [NCI] “I think that's where we are in oncology,” said Dr. Glod, who specializes in the treatment of sarcomas, including GIST. “We're breaking these diseases up into smaller and smaller patient groups, and these new drugs can work quite well for those patients.”
	6.1 OBSERVATION
Weight-loss surgery tied to lowered risk of colorectal cancer [Reuters] The researchers examined data from seven previous studies that followed more than 1.2 million patients for about seven years, on average. Colorectal cancer was rare: just 638 people developed these tumors during the study.
	6.2 IMPLANTS MAMMAIRES
Women with defective French breast implants may claim damages only in France: EU court adviser [Reuters] Victims of defective breast implants made by French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) may only get compensation if they had the procedure in France, an adviser at Europe’s top court said on Thursday, in a potential blow to thousands of women worldwide.
	6.7.2 APPLIS
An overview of clinical decision support systems: benefits, risks, and strategies for success [npj Digital Medicine] There have been numerous published examples in the past decade(s) of computerized clinical decision support systems (CDSS) success stories, but notable setbacks have also shown us that CDSS are not without risks.