Authors

Latest:

Patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonSMQ-8211-SMQsmall-cell lungcancer (stage III and IV) who are not candidates for surgery and exhibitgood performance status are typically treated with concurrent radiationand platinum-based chemotherapy for disease palliation. Platinum-based chemotherapies, used alone or with radiation therapy, offera small but significant survival benefit compared with supportivecare. The incorporation of first-line agents such as gemcitabine(Gemzar), vinorelbine (Navelbine), and paclitaxel, as well as secondlineagents such as docetaxel (Taxotere), in doublet and triplet combinationshas had a further significant therapeutic impact. Randomizedtrials have shown that cisplatin-based therapy in combination with newagents results in improved 1- and 2-year survival rates in patients withadequate performance status. The 1-year survival benefit has significantlyimproved, with greater symptom relief and improved quality oflife in these patients. Thus, delaying disease progression with combinationchemotherapy appears both beneficial and cost-effective in patientswith advanced nonSMQ-8211-SMQsmall-cell lung cancer. Newer approachesSMQ-8212-SMQincluding targeting critical signaling pathways, such as tyrosine kinasereceptors, angiogenesis, and downstream signal transductionmechanismsSMQ-8212-SMQmay provide novel agents with an improved toxicity profileand the potential for better disease management.

Latest:

The identification of key signaltransduction pathways and, inparticular, specific proteins thatare involved in the regulation of cancercell growth has provided unprecedentedopportunities for researchersinterested in targeted cancer treatment.The identification of molecular target-specific therapy offers the potentialof maximal therapeutic benefitwhile minimizing toxicity to normalcells. The accomplishment that led tothe sequencing and analysis of theentire human genome in 2001 has providedresearchers with the basic criticaltools to begin to identify anddifferentiate cancer from normal tissueat the genetic level.[1,2] Whilethe implications of this landmarkachievement are still being realized,it has become evident that the identificationof critical genes and proteinsinvolved in cell division and growthare just the beginning. The complexrelationships between multiple signaltransduction pathways, the surroundingtumor microenvironment, andpathways involved in immune-systemregulation have gained new appreciation.The ability to manipulate thesemultiple interactive systems with targetedtherapies represents a new treatmentparadigm in oncology.

Latest:

The identification of key signaltransduction pathways and, inparticular, specific proteins thatare involved in the regulation of cancercell growth has provided unprecedentedopportunities for researchersinterested in targeted cancer treatment.The identification of molecular target-specific therapy offers the potentialof maximal therapeutic benefitwhile minimizing toxicity to normalcells. The accomplishment that led tothe sequencing and analysis of theentire human genome in 2001 has providedresearchers with the basic criticaltools to begin to identify anddifferentiate cancer from normal tissueat the genetic level.[1,2] Whilethe implications of this landmarkachievement are still being realized,it has become evident that the identificationof critical genes and proteinsinvolved in cell division and growthare just the beginning. The complexrelationships between multiple signaltransduction pathways, the surroundingtumor microenvironment, andpathways involved in immune-systemregulation have gained new appreciation.The ability to manipulate thesemultiple interactive systems with targetedtherapies represents a new treatmentparadigm in oncology.

Latest:

Lung cancer continues to be themost common cause of cancerdeaths in the United States forboth men and women. Unfortunately,the majority of patients presentwith local or distant disease at thetime of diagnosis. Surgical resectioncontinues to offer the best chance forlong-term survival; however, less than25% of patients have surgically resectabledisease. Even after surgicalresection for early-stage disease a significantnumber of patients will developrecurrent disease, with themajority being distant in nature. Developmentof distant disease usuallyproves to be the terminal event inmost patients. Multiple treatmentmodalities have been investigated asadjuvant therapy to decrease the incidenceof distant disease after completesurgical resection. Untilrecently, no modality has shown asurvival advantage in patients afterresection for non–small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC).

Latest:

About 172,570 new cases ofnon–small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC) are expected to bediagnosed in 2005 in the United States,and almost as many will die of thedisease. Patients with effusions or metastaticdisease are candidates for combinationchemotherapy. The regimensof choice are platinum-based combinationchemotherapy schedules. Giventhat most patients will experience diseaseprogression despite their initialtreatment, they may be eligible for second-line chemotherapy, provided theyhave an acceptable performance status.

Latest:

About 172,570 new cases ofnon–small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC) are expected to bediagnosed in 2005 in the United States,and almost as many will die of thedisease. Patients with effusions or metastaticdisease are candidates for combinationchemotherapy. The regimensof choice are platinum-based combinationchemotherapy schedules. Giventhat most patients will experience diseaseprogression despite their initialtreatment, they may be eligible for second-line chemotherapy, provided theyhave an acceptable performance status.

Latest:

Cappuzzo and colleagues havereviewed the present optionsof salvage therapy for advancednon–small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC). This issue is highly relevantnowadays, as many patients whofail palliative chemotherapy are stillin sufficiently good condition to receiveadditional therapy. It is ratherinstructive to note that 10 years agothe use of systemic chemotherapy foradvanced NSCLC was advocated butstill not standard, and today we haveseveral options for treating patients inthe second- and even third-line setting.Among these options are agents thatspecifically target molecular featuresof lung cancer, such as the epidermalgrowth factor receptor (EGFR)

Latest:

Cappuzzo and colleagues havereviewed the present optionsof salvage therapy for advancednon–small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC). This issue is highly relevantnowadays, as many patients whofail palliative chemotherapy are stillin sufficiently good condition to receiveadditional therapy. It is ratherinstructive to note that 10 years agothe use of systemic chemotherapy foradvanced NSCLC was advocated butstill not standard, and today we haveseveral options for treating patients inthe second- and even third-line setting.Among these options are agents thatspecifically target molecular featuresof lung cancer, such as the epidermalgrowth factor receptor (EGFR)

Latest:

Priming of leukemic cells with cytokines may enhance the efficacy of cell-cycle chemotherapy. In this study, we utilized these synergistic effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, sargramostim [Leukine]), hydroxyurea, and low-dose cytosine arabinoside to treat elderly patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In a single-institution, retrospective study, we evaluated 94 treatments with concomitant hydroxyurea, cytosine arabinoside, and GM-CSF between the years of 1997 and 2003 in high-risk elderly patients with AML or MDS. A total of 80% of patients received all of the GM-CSF doses; 78% of patients received all of the cytosine arabinoside doses. Adverse events were minimal. No patient developed mucositis or alopecia. The most common adverse event was neutropenic fever, which was noted in 57% of patients. Twenty-one percent of patients remained neutropenic after treatment until death or relapse. Sixty-eight percent of patients reached an absolute neutrophil count of greater than 1,000 μL in a median of 33.5 days. Our data show an overall response rate of 52%, with a complete response rate of 39% and a partial response rate of 13%. Overall, our study showed that low-dose cytosine arabinoside given by continuous infusion together with continuous infusion GM-CSF and hydroxyurea was well-tolerated and effective in treating elderly AML and MDS patients who were not eligible for standard induction therapy.

Latest:

Priming of leukemic cells with cytokines may enhance the efficacy of cell-cycle chemotherapy. In this study, we utilized these synergistic effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, sargramostim [Leukine]), hydroxyurea, and low-dose cytosine arabinoside to treat elderly patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In a single-institution, retrospective study, we evaluated 94 treatments with concomitant hydroxyurea, cytosine arabinoside, and GM-CSF between the years of 1997 and 2003 in high-risk elderly patients with AML or MDS. A total of 80% of patients received all of the GM-CSF doses; 78% of patients received all of the cytosine arabinoside doses. Adverse events were minimal. No patient developed mucositis or alopecia. The most common adverse event was neutropenic fever, which was noted in 57% of patients. Twenty-one percent of patients remained neutropenic after treatment until death or relapse. Sixty-eight percent of patients reached an absolute neutrophil count of greater than 1,000 μL in a median of 33.5 days. Our data show an overall response rate of 52%, with a complete response rate of 39% and a partial response rate of 13%. Overall, our study showed that low-dose cytosine arabinoside given by continuous infusion together with continuous infusion GM-CSF and hydroxyurea was well-tolerated and effective in treating elderly AML and MDS patients who were not eligible for standard induction therapy.

Latest:

Priming of leukemic cells with cytokines may enhance the efficacy of cell-cycle chemotherapy. In this study, we utilized these synergistic effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, sargramostim [Leukine]), hydroxyurea, and low-dose cytosine arabinoside to treat elderly patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In a single-institution, retrospective study, we evaluated 94 treatments with concomitant hydroxyurea, cytosine arabinoside, and GM-CSF between the years of 1997 and 2003 in high-risk elderly patients with AML or MDS. A total of 80% of patients received all of the GM-CSF doses; 78% of patients received all of the cytosine arabinoside doses. Adverse events were minimal. No patient developed mucositis or alopecia. The most common adverse event was neutropenic fever, which was noted in 57% of patients. Twenty-one percent of patients remained neutropenic after treatment until death or relapse. Sixty-eight percent of patients reached an absolute neutrophil count of greater than 1,000 μL in a median of 33.5 days. Our data show an overall response rate of 52%, with a complete response rate of 39% and a partial response rate of 13%. Overall, our study showed that low-dose cytosine arabinoside given by continuous infusion together with continuous infusion GM-CSF and hydroxyurea was well-tolerated and effective in treating elderly AML and MDS patients who were not eligible for standard induction therapy.

Latest:

Vaccines are a promising but still experimental treatment for melanoma.They are intended to stimulate immune responses against melanomaand by so doing, increase resistance against and slow the progressionof this cancer. Key requirements for vaccines to be effectiveare that they contain antigens that can stimulate tumor-protective immuneresponses and that some of these antigens are present on thetumor to be treated. Unfortunately, these antigens are still not known.To circumvent this problem, polyvalent vaccines can be constructedcontaining a broad array of melanoma-associated antigens. Severalstrategies are available to construct such polyvalent vaccines; each hasadvantages and disadvantages. Clinical trials have shown that vaccinesare safe to use and have much less toxicity than current therapy formelanoma. Vaccines can stimulate both antibody and T-cell responsesagainst melanoma, with the type of response induced, its frequency,and its magnitude depending on the vaccine and the adjuvant agentused. A growing body of evidence suggests that vaccines can be clinicallyeffective. This evidence includes correlations between vaccineinducedantibody or T-cell responses and improved clinical outcome,clearance of melanoma markers from the circulation, improved survivalcompared to historical controls, and most convincingly, two randomizedtrials in which the recurrence-free survival of vaccine-treatedpatients was significantly longer than that of control groups.

Latest:

Vaccines are a promising but still experimental treatment for melanoma.They are intended to stimulate immune responses against melanomaand by so doing, increase resistance against and slow the progressionof this cancer. Key requirements for vaccines to be effectiveare that they contain antigens that can stimulate tumor-protective immuneresponses and that some of these antigens are present on thetumor to be treated. Unfortunately, these antigens are still not known.To circumvent this problem, polyvalent vaccines can be constructedcontaining a broad array of melanoma-associated antigens. Severalstrategies are available to construct such polyvalent vaccines; each hasadvantages and disadvantages. Clinical trials have shown that vaccinesare safe to use and have much less toxicity than current therapy formelanoma. Vaccines can stimulate both antibody and T-cell responsesagainst melanoma, with the type of response induced, its frequency,and its magnitude depending on the vaccine and the adjuvant agentused. A growing body of evidence suggests that vaccines can be clinicallyeffective. This evidence includes correlations between vaccineinducedantibody or T-cell responses and improved clinical outcome,clearance of melanoma markers from the circulation, improved survivalcompared to historical controls, and most convincingly, two randomizedtrials in which the recurrence-free survival of vaccine-treatedpatients was significantly longer than that of control groups.

Latest:

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an importantrole in cell growth, differentiation, and survival. Targeting EGFR inpatients with colorectal cancer has become an important therapeutictool. Recently, a monoclonal antibody against the extracellular domainof the receptor (cetuximab [Erbitux]) has been approved for the treatmentof patients with EGFR-positive metastatic disease refractory toirinotecan (Camptosar)-based therapy. The role of other targeted agentsagainst EGFR, including other monoclonal antibodies as well as inhibitorsof the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain, will also be discussed.

Latest:

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an importantrole in cell growth, differentiation, and survival. Targeting EGFR inpatients with colorectal cancer has become an important therapeutictool. Recently, a monoclonal antibody against the extracellular domainof the receptor (cetuximab [Erbitux]) has been approved for the treatmentof patients with EGFR-positive metastatic disease refractory toirinotecan (Camptosar)-based therapy. The role of other targeted agentsagainst EGFR, including other monoclonal antibodies as well as inhibitorsof the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain, will also be discussed.

Latest:

Drs. Enright and McGlave succinctly review the biology of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and highlight the therapeutic role of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation. Two points, however, warrant further discussion. The first is that a regimen containing interferon-alfa (Intron A, Roferon-A) is optimal front-line therapy for the great majority of CML patients.[1] The second is that use of an interferon-alfa-based regimen prior to allogeneic stem-cell transplantation does not adversely affect post-transplant mortality, morbidity, or anti-CML efficacy.

Latest:

The FDA has approved a new indication for sunitinib (Sutent) to include the adjuvant treatment of renal cell carcinoma in patients at high risk of disease recurrence following nephrectomy.

Latest:

ONCOLOGY spoke with Eric Ko, MD, PhD, who recently published a review article with his colleagues on strategies for combining radiation therapy with immunotherapy for the treatment of non–small-cell lung cancer.

Latest:

This review summarizes the current evidence supporting the use of SBRT as treatment for inoperable renal cell carcinoma, as well as provides recommendations for patient selection and reviews the technical aspects of treatment and the expected toxicities.

Latest:

This review summarizes the current evidence supporting the use of SBRT as treatment for inoperable renal cell carcinoma, as well as provides recommendations for patient selection and reviews the technical aspects of treatment and the expected toxicities.

Latest:

Latest:

Latest:

Mark Walters, MD, a professor in residence for pediatrics at the Sickle Cell Center of Excellence at the University of California discussed gene therapy’s ongoing transformation of the treatment landscape.

Latest:

Robert M. Dean, MD, discusses the potential role for consolidative CAR T-cell therapy in mantle cell lymphoma.