Saturday, March 26, 2011
Press Release: "Therapeutic Nanoparticles Targeted to Radiation Treated Tumors"
Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: "Therapeutic Nanoparticles Targeted to Radiation Treated Tumors"
Three Extra Months Of Life A Big Deal For Pancreatic Cancer Patients
There has been lots of buzz about this new pancreatic cancer therapy recently. Here is an excerpt from a good article about it on WebMD:
New Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Activates Immune System
Patrick Swaze-
new face of pancreatic cancer
...The treatment works by destroying the ''scaffolding'' around cancer cells, says researcher Robert H. Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, an associate professor of medicine in the division of hematology/oncology and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania.
"The therapy is an antibody," he says. ''Instead of binding to the cancer, this antibody binds to a molecule in the immune system, and that is CD40," he tells WebMD. Next, the immune system is activated, allowing it to attack the so-called scaffolding around the cancer cells. The scaffolding is destroyed and the tumor falls apart.
The process is somewhat like attacking a brick wall by dissolving the mortar in the wall, he says.
In the study, the new approach extended overall survival by nearly two months compared to conventional treatments. Progression-free survival, the length of time during which the tumor did not grow, was more than three months longer...
Sad that a cancer therapy can get so much attention for slowing tumor growth by a short three months, isn't it? Here is a link to the article.
All researchers can do is keep trying. Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
New Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Activates Immune System
In Early Study, Strategy Shrank Tumors in Some Patients
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
Patrick Swaze-
new face of pancreatic cancer
...The treatment works by destroying the ''scaffolding'' around cancer cells, says researcher Robert H. Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, an associate professor of medicine in the division of hematology/oncology and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania.
"The therapy is an antibody," he says. ''Instead of binding to the cancer, this antibody binds to a molecule in the immune system, and that is CD40," he tells WebMD. Next, the immune system is activated, allowing it to attack the so-called scaffolding around the cancer cells. The scaffolding is destroyed and the tumor falls apart.
The process is somewhat like attacking a brick wall by dissolving the mortar in the wall, he says.
In the study, the new approach extended overall survival by nearly two months compared to conventional treatments. Progression-free survival, the length of time during which the tumor did not grow, was more than three months longer...
Sad that a cancer therapy can get so much attention for slowing tumor growth by a short three months, isn't it? Here is a link to the article.
All researchers can do is keep trying. Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Friday, March 25, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
New Phase III Research Study For Polycythemia Vera Blood Cancer Patients Now Open
Here is a press release announcing a new, phase III study investigating INCB018424, and is now enrolling patients with a blood cancer called polycythemia vera:
Visit http://www.responsetrial.com/ for more information
or call 1-877-4-PV-TRIAL
Incyte is pleased to announce that RESPONSE, a phase III study of the investigational agent INCB018424, a selective oral JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor, is now enrolling patients with polycythemia vera (PV). The RESPONSE trial is a global, randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase III study of the oral JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor INCB018424 in patients with PV who are resistant to or intolerant of hydroxyurea. RESPONSE is sponsored by both Incyte and Novartis.
If you know a PV patient who is at least 18 years of age and who meets the following criteria, he/she may be eligible for enrollment in RESPONSE:
Resistant to or intolerant of hydroxyurea
Phlebotomy requirement due to inadequate
hematocrit control at least once every 3 months
Palpable splenomegaly ≥5 cm below the
costal margin
Elevated white blood cell and/or platelet counts
We invite you to visit http://www.responsetrial.com/ to find out more about RESPONSE, including trial recruitment information and brief overviews of selected topics such as the JAK signaling pathway, PV
and preliminary clinical results.
If you know a patient you think may be eligible for RESPONSE, please call 1-877-4-PV-TRIAL.
I ran a related article last week:
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Visit http://www.responsetrial.com/ for more information
or call 1-877-4-PV-TRIAL
Incyte is pleased to announce that RESPONSE, a phase III study of the investigational agent INCB018424, a selective oral JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor, is now enrolling patients with polycythemia vera (PV). The RESPONSE trial is a global, randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase III study of the oral JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor INCB018424 in patients with PV who are resistant to or intolerant of hydroxyurea. RESPONSE is sponsored by both Incyte and Novartis.
If you know a PV patient who is at least 18 years of age and who meets the following criteria, he/she may be eligible for enrollment in RESPONSE:
Resistant to or intolerant of hydroxyurea
Phlebotomy requirement due to inadequate
hematocrit control at least once every 3 months
Palpable splenomegaly ≥5 cm below the
costal margin
Elevated white blood cell and/or platelet counts
We invite you to visit http://www.responsetrial.com/ to find out more about RESPONSE, including trial recruitment information and brief overviews of selected topics such as the JAK signaling pathway, PV
and preliminary clinical results.
If you know a patient you think may be eligible for RESPONSE, please call 1-877-4-PV-TRIAL.
I ran a related article last week:
Ruxolitinib Shows Continued Progress In Phase 3 Trials Against Rare Blood Cancer, Myelofibrosis
This is hopeful news for people with a blood cancer which is very difficult to treat.Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
BREAKING NEWS: Denosumab Better Than Zoledronic Acid for Treatment of Bone Metastases in Men With Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
This is BIG NEWS! Click-on headline below:
Denosumab Versus Zoledronic Acid for Treatment of Bone Metastases in Men With Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Randomised, Double-Blind Study - OncologySTAT
Denosumab Versus Zoledronic Acid for Treatment of Bone Metastases in Men With Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Randomised, Double-Blind Study - OncologySTAT
Saturday, March 19, 2011
News Brief: A Food and Drug Administration panel backed a novel, noninvasive device that uses an electrical field designed to blast apart cancer cells as a potential treatment for brain cancer...
FDA Panel Backs Experimental Brain-Cancer-Treatment Device - WSJ.com
The NovoTTF (for tumor treating fields), was designed by a private firm, NovoCure Ltd., which has operations in Israel and the U.S. It is being developed for use in patients with glioblastoma, a common form of brain cancer, initially for use after standard treatments fail.
Simply click on the headline above to read what Jennifer Corbett Doren with the Wall Street Journal has to say about the new device. Sounds like the jury is still out...
Feel good and keep smiling... Maybe it works! Pat
The NovoTTF (for tumor treating fields), was designed by a private firm, NovoCure Ltd., which has operations in Israel and the U.S. It is being developed for use in patients with glioblastoma, a common form of brain cancer, initially for use after standard treatments fail.
Simply click on the headline above to read what Jennifer Corbett Doren with the Wall Street Journal has to say about the new device. Sounds like the jury is still out...
Feel good and keep smiling... Maybe it works! Pat
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Ruxolitinib Shows Continued Progress In Phase 3 Trials Against Rare Blood Cancer, Myelofibrosis
Here are excerpts from today's Business Wire press release about a new blood cancer drug, ruxolitinib:
Incyte’s Ruxolitinib (INCB18424) Meets Primary Endpoint in Second Phase III Study
- Data from Novartis COMFORT-II European Phase III trial show treatment with ruxolitinib provided a statistically significant reduction in spleen size in patients with myelofibrosis when compared with best available therapy
- Myelofibrosis is a debilitating disease with a poor prognosis and limited therapies, presenting a critical unmet medical need
- US New Drug Application submission by Incyte and EU Marketing Authorization Application submission by Novartis on track for Q2 2011
- Complete data to be submitted by Novartis to an upcoming medical meeting...
“The COMFORT-I and II trials constitute the largest clinical trial program to date in myelofibrosis. Data from these two Phase III trials demonstrate how treatment with ruxolitinib was more effective than placebo and any other available medical therapies,” said Richard Levy, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Drug Development and Medical Officer of Incyte...
About COMFORT-II
COMFORT-II is a randomized, open-label Phase III study of ruxolitinib (also known as INCB18424 or INC424) versus best available therapy that enrolled 219 patients with primary MF, PPV-MF or PET-MF in 56 study locations in Europe. Two-thirds received ruxolitinib and one-third received best available therapy, administered at doses and schedules determined by the investigator. The primary endpoint for COMFORT-II is the proportion of patients achieving a reduction in spleen volume of 35% or more from baseline to week 48...
Find more details at: Business Wire/Ruxolitinib (INCB18424).
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Lance Armstrong Targets California for $20 Million Cigarette Tax Campaign
I'm not sure how I feel about these "sin taxes." I don't smoke or drink (much), so it is easy for me to see the wisdom of this type of thing.
Let's face it: Smoking is really, really stupid! People who smoke are a "slap in the face" to those of us with cancer who are working so hard to stay healthy and alive.
Read about this California effort to raise funds for cancer research and see what you think:
Lance Armstrong Targets California for $20 Million Cigarette Tax Campaign - Bloomberg
Feel good, keep smiling and please don't smoke! Pat
Let's face it: Smoking is really, really stupid! People who smoke are a "slap in the face" to those of us with cancer who are working so hard to stay healthy and alive.
Read about this California effort to raise funds for cancer research and see what you think:
Lance Armstrong Targets California for $20 Million Cigarette Tax Campaign - Bloomberg
Feel good, keep smiling and please don't smoke! Pat
Rituximab And Fludarabine Produce Long-Term Remissions In Some Leukemia Patients
New research shows that a less-toxic combination of a targeted immune-based drug and a chemotherapy drug can produce long-term remissions in some chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients.
Here is a link to the official Ohio State University press release:
Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency
Here is a link to the official Ohio State University press release:
Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency
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