Oncology Times Broadcast News

Oncology Times Broadcast News Swedish Registry Study Shows Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer Increased All Cardiovascular Mortality Mieke Van Hemelrijck at ECCO15-ESMO34 on findings that cardiovascular mortality from heart failure and arrhythmia in addition to ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction increased among patients treated with endocrine therapy—of whatever type—for their prostate cancer.

Oncology Times Broadcast News Aromatase Inhibitor Better than Tamoxifen for Initial Adjuvant Therapy for HR- Positive Breast Cancer, But Compliance an Issue! Cornelis van de Velde at ECCO15-ESMO34 on the largest comparison of an aromatase inhibitor with tamoxifen as initial adjuvant therapy for patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer–analysis of results from the TEAM (Tamoxifen Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational) study reported at ECCO15-ESMO34.

John Burn talking at ECCO15-ESMO34 in Berlin about his international study showing that aspirin prevented the development of Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colon Cancer in people genetically at risk for the disease.

Oncology Times Broadcast News For Early Breast Cancer, Switch to Aromatase Inhibitor after Tamoxifen Extends Survival Charles Coombes at ECCO15-ESMO34 on the Intergroup Exemestane Study showing a big increase in survival for patients with early breast cancer randomized to have their adjuvant therapy switched to exemestane after 2-3 years of tamoxifen, compared with those who remained on tamoxifen for the entire 5 years of endocrine therapy.

Oncology Times Broadcast News: Bevacizumab Did Not Improve Disease-Free Survival In Adjuvant Therapy For Early Colon Cancer For adjuvant treatment of stage II and stage III colorectal cancer the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor inhibitor, bevacizumab, gave no benefit in disease-free survival after a median follow up of three years when added to standard oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in the NSABP C-O8 phase III study reported at the 2009 ASCO meeting held in Orlando, Florida . Lead author Dr Norman Wolmark MD Chair of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, and Chair of the Department of Oncology at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, said in an interview with Peter Goodwin: "These data do not support using bevacizumab in the adjuvant setting."

BARCELONA, SPAIN—Adding cetuximab to gemcitabine/oxaliplatin (GEMOX) chemotherapy controlled disease among two thirds of patients with advanced biliary cancer in a trial reported at the World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer. Éveline Boucher from the Centre Eugene Marquis, in Rennes, France, presented preliminary findings from a phase II open-label study among 101 patients who had not already received palliative treatment for their advanced biliary cancers, and had WHO performance status 0-1. She discussed her team’s findings with Peter Goodwin.

Oncology Times Broadcast News: Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Capecitabine Equivalent to 5-FU in Irinotecan/Bevacizumab Combos Adding the oral drug capecitabine to a regimen of bevacizumab plus irinotecan was as effective as adding infusions of 5FU/folinic acid for patients who had metastatic colorectal cancer in a phase II study presented to the World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in Barcelona (24-27 June, 2009; Abstract: 0-0013). Michel Ducreux, Head of the Gastrointestinal Service at the Institut Gustave Roussy in Villejuif, Paris, discussed the new evidence and its clinical implications with Peter Goodwin.

Oncology Times Broadcast News: Stage IV Pancreatic Islet Cell Tumors: Sunitinib Monotherapy Increased Progression Free Survival Treatment of advanced pancreatic islet cell tumors with sunitinib has doubled progression-free survival in patients whose options have been very limited up to now, according to French researchers reporting their phase III randomized study findings at the World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in Barcelona (24-27 June, 2009; ABSTRACT: 0-0013). Eric Raymond from Beaujon University Hospital, Villejuif, France, gave Peter Goodwin his clinical interpretation of the findings.

11th Annual Palm Beach Cancer Symposium (April 3-4, 2009 Hollywood, Florida)—Peter Goodwin interviews John Macdonald, Chief Medical Officer of Aptium Oncology in Los Angeles about his data on the relevance of KRAS tumor status to the choice of molecular therapy for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Whether the gene is wild-type or mutant determines sensitivity of the tumor to anti-epidermal growth factor or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor therapy. Dr Macdonald also discusses the disappointing finding that blocking both of these proliferation pathways does not lead to improved efficacy when two targeted drugs are used in combination.

11th Annual Palm Beach Cancer Symposium (April 3-4, 2009 Hollywood, Florida)—Peter Goodwin interviews Hagop Kantarjian MD from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston about his latest findings on treating CML in patients who have the T315I mutation. He also discusses the feasibility of patients becoming pregnant while having tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment (among those who have achieved stability for at least two years); and talks about the decreased need for allogeneic transplant.

11th Annual Palm Beach Cancer Symposium (April 3-4, 2009 Hollywood, Florida)—Peter Goodwin interviews Stanley H Winokur MD from Palm Beach, Florida, about his daily internet quiz that gives oncologists the chance to test their knowledge of cancer management by completing an on-line questionnaire taking only a minute. Dr Winokur discusses the role of the test—called ‘The Smartest Oncologist In America’—in helping doctors check up on how much they have learned from any source of new knowledge.

11th Annual Palm Beach Cancer Symposium (April 3-4, 2009 Hollywood, Florida)—Peter Goodwin interviews Kathy Albain, Professor of Medicine at Loyola University, Chicago, on her return from the 2009 St Gallen consensus meeting which formulated updated recommendations about adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. The 21 gene recurrence score and the 70-gene profiling assay have now been endorsed by this Swiss meeting as significant contributors to the decision making process on cytotoxic chemotherapy for patients with estrogen receptor positive disease, including both node negative and node positive early breast cancer.

11th Annual Palm Beach Cancer Symposium (April 3-4, 2009 Hollywood, Florida)—Peter Goodwin interviews Marshall Posner MD from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston about the increased prevalence of oropharygeal cancers which are related to HPV infection. These tumors may be less aggressive than cancers testing negative for HPV, and have proved more responsive to the most effective modern therapies which use docetaxel along with cisplatin and fluorouracil for induction prior to standard chemo-radiotherapy. He discusses the need for biological agents and drugs directed against the human papilloma virus which is essential for maintaining malignant phenotype and the urgency of vaccinating 12 to 24 year olds to reduce the pool of infection.

Oncology Times Broadcast News with the Audio Journal of Oncology Reporting from: 10th European Congress Perspectives in Lung Cancer, Brussels March 6-7, 2009 and Journal of Clinical Oncology Cancer Related Fatigue Questionnaires Assessed Paddy Stone of St George's Hospital, University of London and David Cella from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Evanston Ilinois about the efficacy of questionnaires for assessing, screening and perhaps diagnosing cacer-related fatigue syndrome.

Oncology Times Broadcast News with the Audio Journal of Oncology Reporting from: 10th European Congress Perspectives in Lung Cancer, Brussels March 6-7, 2009 and Journal of Clinical Oncology Bilateral Prophylactic Mastetomy For DCIS Todd Tuttle from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and Abram Recht from Harvard Medical School and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston about the increasing use of prophylactic bilateral mastectomy, already reported in breast cancer and now revealed from the SEER database in ductal carcinoma in situ.

Oncology Times Broadcast News with the Audio Journal of Oncology Reporting from: 10th European Congress Perspectives in Lung Cancer, Brussels March 6-7, 2009 and Journal of Clinical Oncology Insulin-Like Growth Factor Inhibition In Lung Cancer Silvia Novello, and Giorgio Scagliotti from the University of Turin about harnessing insulin-like growth factor receptor inhibition in a phase II study which has shown clinical activity of figitumomab at least as significant as inhibitors of other growth factors already being used in cancer.

ONCOLOGY TIMES BROADCAST NEWS WITH THE AUDIO JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY February 2009 Peter Goodwin interviews more speakers from the 50th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, December 6-9, 2008 IN THIS EDITION: Greater Role for Umbilical Cord Blood in Adult Transplants Mary Eapen, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee COMMENT: Armand Keating, University of Toronto Ex Vivo Expansion Of Cord Blood Derived Progenitor Cells: Patient Transplant Data Colleen Delaney, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle COMMENT: Armand Keating Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents in Cancer Patients: Meta-Analysis Mortality Findings Julia Bohlius, University of Bern ON BEHALF OF: Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents Individual Patient Data (EPO IPD) Meta-Analysis Collaborative Group COMMENTS: Linda Burns, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis George Canellos, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Imatinib: Durable Responses And Survival in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: 7-Year IRIS Study Results; Can I

Oncology Times Broadcast News January 9th, 2009 American Society of Hematology 2008 Meeting Report Reporting From the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, San Francisco The exciting recent ASH conference reflected the vibrant mood of an America boldly tackling economic and political turmoil with post-presidential-election optimism. Peter Goodwin and George Canellos reflect on some of the big stories and talk with key investigators in San Francisco. Francesco Zaja recounts how rituximab has proved effective for treating immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP); Hannes Wandt presents compelling data suggesting that platelet transfusions can be withheld in many patients receiving stem cell transplants for their hematologic malignancies; and both Michael Hallek and Tadeusz Robak announce Phase III study findings of improved benefits for patients whose chronic lymphocytic leukemia has been treated by adding rituximab to standard chemotherapy. The ASH President, Kenneth Kaushansky, plus Linda

Oncology Times Broadcast News with the Audio Journal of Oncology Scientific Editors: George Canellos, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Gordon McVie, European Institute of Oncology, Milan Pat Price, Christie Hospital, Manchester Gianni Bonadonna, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan REPORTING FROM: National Cancer Research Institute Cancer Conference, October 5-8, 2008, Birmingham, England American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, May 30-June 3, 2008, Chicago, Illinois, Perspectives In Lung Cancer 9th European Congress, March 14-15, Torino, Italy Sarah Maxwell and Peter Goodwin report on evidence that combining monoclonal antibodies with chemotherapy can extend life among patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Robert Pirker from the Medical University of Vienna tells Sarah Maxwell about his group's findings in the FLEX study using the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) inhibitor cetuximab; Christian Manegold from Heidelberg Universit, Manheim gives Peter Goodwin data on