Novel Drug Combination May Improve Survival in Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer (11/18/2008)
The four-drug combination of chemotherapy agents Paraplatin® (carboplatin) and Taxol® (paclitaxel) plus targeted therapies Avastin® (bevacizumab) and Erbitux® (cetuximab) is safe and may improve survival in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the results of a study presented at the 2008 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.

Robotically-assisted Hysterectomy Appears Effective for Cervical Cancer (11/18/2008)
Robotically-assisted hysterectomy (RAH) in patients with early-stage cervical cancer is at least as effective as traditional open radical hysterectomy (ORH) and produces fewer complications, according to the results of a study published in the October 2008 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The 2008 Annual American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Symposium (11/18/2008)
The 2008 annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Breast Cancer Symposium, held this year on September 5-7 in Washington, DC, delivered results encompassing advancements in screening, diagnosis, treatment, supportive care, and individualized therapies for patients with breast cancer.  The event brought together world-renowned clinicians and researchers who are dedicated to improving outcomes for those diagnosed with breast cancer.

Calcium plus Vitamin D Supplementation Is Not Associated with a Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer (11/17/2008)
Calcium and vitamin D supplementation may not reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to the results of a study recently published in an early online version of the November 2008 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

HPV Vaccine Effective in Males (11/17/2008)
Gardasil® (Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus [Types 6, 11, 16, 18] Recombinant Vaccine), the vaccine approved for the prevention of cervical cancer and other HPV-related conditions in women, has now been shown to prevent genital lesions in men ages 16 to 26. The results of this pivotal Phase III study were presented at the November 12-15, 2008 European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (EUROGIN) International Multidisciplinary Conference in France.

Crestor® Reduces Cardiovascular Risk in Healthy Individuals (11/14/2008)
In a large clinical trial, the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor® (rosuvastatin) reduced the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke among individuals who did not have high cholesterol but who did have high levels of a marker of inflammation known as C-reactive protein. These results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Poor Compliance with Tamoxifen Leads to Higher Recurrence Rates (11/13/2008)
Researchers from St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York have reported that 37% of women with estrogen receptor-positive localized breast cancer are not compliant with prescribed tamoxifen (Nolvadex®), resulting in a higher rate of recurrent disease. The details of this study were published in the October, 2008 issue of the American Journal of Surgery.

Elderly Patients with Esophageal Cancer Can Tolerate Chemoradiotherapy (11/13/2008)
Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is an effective treatment and does not present major toxicity for elderly patients with esophageal cancer, according to the results of a study released in an early online publication of the November issue of the British Journal of Cancer.

Statins May Reduce PSA Levels (11/12/2008)
The use of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins is associated with a decline in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, according to the results of a study published in the November 5, 2008 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Cardiac Toxicity in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Receiving Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (11/12/2008)
In a recent single-center study, researchers analyzed the cardiac toxicity associated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors Sutent® (sunitinib) and Nexavar® (sorafenib) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and concluded that although the incidence of cardiac damage from these agents may be higher than previously thought, it is manageable with careful monitoring and treatment. The results of this study were published in the November 10, 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Vitamin D May Reduce the Risk of Colorectal Polyps (11/11/2008)
Researchers from several U.S. medical institutions have reported that higher levels of circulating vitamin D, as well as higher vitamin D intake, are associated with a decreased incidence of colorectal adenomas (polyps) and recurrent adenomas. The details of this combined analysis were published in the November 1, 2008 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.

Oncotype DX® Influences Treatment Decisions in Large Portion of Breast Cancer Patients (11/10/2008)
Results from Oncotype DX® affect treatment decisions in a large portion of breast cancer patients who undergo the test. These results were recently published in the American Journal of Surgery.

Addition of Zevalin® to Chemotherapy Effective for Follicular NHL (11/10/2008)
Administration of Zevalin® (Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan) immediately following initial chemotherapy for advanced follicular lymphoma improves progression-free survival for two years compared with chemotherapy alone. These results were recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Tarceva® During Initial Therapy for Advanced NSCLC Improves Progression-free Survival (11/07/2008)
Tarceva® (erlotinib) used immediately following initial chemotherapy for advanced non–small cell lung cancer significantly improved progression-free survival. These results were recently released in a joint press release by Genentech, Inc. and OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Migraines Associated with Reduced Breast Cancer Risk (11/07/2008)
Women suffering from migraines appear to have a reduced risk for developing breast cancer, possibly due to fluctuating hormone levels. These results were recently published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

Breast Cancer Patients Suffering Side Effects from Hormone Therapy Have Reduced Risk of Recurrence (11/06/2008)
Patients with hormone-positive breast cancer who are treated with hormone therapy and suffer from joint or vasomotor symptoms (contracting or dilating of blood vessels that can affect nerves and muscles) have a reduced risk of a recurrence. These results were recently published in the Lancet Oncology.

Folate, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 Not Shown to Protect Against Cancer in Women (11/05/2008)
Supplementation with folic acid, B6, and B12 for more than seven years neither reduced nor increased the risk of breast cancer or other invasive cancer among women. These results were recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

NCCN Updates Colorectal Cancer Guidelines to Include KRAS Testing (11/05/2008)
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has updated guidelines regarding the treatment of colorectal cancer to include pretreatment testing of a tumor’s KRAS gene status. This updated recommendation is based on results from recent studies indicating that the status of the KRAS gene is highly predictive of the effectiveness of agents targeted against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

November Is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month (11/04/2008)
As the month of November brings lung cancer into focus, it’s a great time to increase public understanding of the disease, including its prevalence, approaches to screening and prevention, treatment options, and resources that offer updated lung cancer information throughout the year

November Is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month (11/04/2008)
As the month of November brings pancreatic cancer into focus, it’s a great time to increase public understanding of the disease, including its prevalence, approaches to screening and prevention, treatment options, and resources that offer updated pancreatic cancer information throughout the year.