Gastrointestinal Cancer News and Research

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Gastrointestinal cancer refers to malignant conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach, liver, biliary system, pancreas, bowels, and anus.

US oncology announces its contributions in development of 42 novel cancer therapies

US Oncology, Inc., the nation's leading integrated oncology company, announced today that in less than two decades it has played a role in the development of 42 novel cancer therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

21 Aug 2010

Proton therapy treatment for anal canal cancer performed for first time in US

The INTEGRIS Cancer Institute of Oklahoma and the ProCure Proton Therapy Center announce a breakthrough treatment approach for anal canal cancer. For the first time in the United States proton therapy is now being used to treat this type of cancer.

17 Jul 2010

Data on activity of Nektar's NKTR-102 in gastrointestinal cancer presented at ESMO 12th World Congress

Nektar Therapeutics announced today that data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 12th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer demonstrates that NKTR-102, the company's lead oncology compound, exhibits superior activity compared to irinotecan as part of either a monotherapy or combination regimen in tumor models of gastrointestinal cancers.

7 Jul 2010

Combination of Biothera's Imprime PGG and Erbitux doubles response rate in colorectal cancer patients

The combination of Biothera's experimental drug Imprime PGG® and Erbitux® (cetuximab) doubled the historical overall response rate and the time to progression of second- and third-line metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with Erbitux monotherapy. The data was released last weekend at the 13th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

7 Jul 2010

Afinitor more than doubles progression-free survival in advanced pancreatic NET: Study

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced today that results of a Phase III study show Afinitor® (everolimus) tablets plus best supportive care (BSC) more than doubled progression-free survival, or time without tumor growth, versus placebo plus BSC in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET). The study, RADIANT-3, was presented at the 12th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer and is part of the largest clinical trial program in patients with advanced NET.

1 Jul 2010

Ph II data of perifosine + capecitabine in metastatic CRC to be presented at gastrointestinal cancer congress

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that abstract O-0017, entitled "Subset Analysis of 5-FU Refractory Patients from a Randomized Ph II Study of Perifosine + Capecitabine (P-CAP) vs. Placebo + Capecitabine (CAP) in Patients with 2nd or 3rd Line Metastatic CRC" has been selected for oral presentation at the upcoming 12th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer, to be held in Barcelona, Spain from June 30 - July 2, 2010.

30 Jun 2010

Nektar commences dosing in Phase 1 study of NKTR-102 in combination with 5-FU/leucovorin

Nektar Therapeutics announced today that the first patients have been dosed in a new Phase 1 dose-escalation clinical study to evaluate NKTR-102, the company's lead oncology compound, in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin in refractory solid tumor cancers. The study is being conducted at University Hospitals Case Medical Center of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

24 Jun 2010

New presentations on neuroendocrine tumors at ESMO 12th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer

Groundbreaking studies will be presented at the ESMO 12th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer next week in Barcelona, Spain, including exciting new data on treatment for neuroendocrine tumors. "The presentations this year are very significant for clinicians, and outline real progress in the development of agents that are effective in managing and treating gastrointestinal diseases," says Eric Van Cutsem, MD, PhD of the University Hospital Gasthuisberg in Leuven, Belgium and Congress co-chair.

23 Jun 2010

Alnylam presents interim data from ALN-VSP02 Phase I trial for liver cancer at ASCO 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today preliminary clinical data from its ongoing Phase I trial with ALN-VSP, a systemically delivered RNAi therapeutic for the treatment of advanced solid tumors with liver involvement.

7 Jun 2010

New research to improve treatment for oesophageal and upper stomach cancer

Poor diet, too much alcohol, smoking and increasing obesity could be leading to an epidemic of oesophageal and upper stomach cancer, according to a leading UK team of specialists at The University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals.

14 May 2010

Researchers investigate aberrant expression of nuclear matrix proteins in gastric cancer cells

Gastric cancer is the most common malignant gastrointestinal cancer and accounts for 25% of cancer deaths. Nuclear matrix, a filamentous protein framework for eukaryotic cellular chromatin, closely relates to DNA duplication and transcription. Research on nuclear matrix proteins will provide insight into how tumors developed.

7 May 2010

Infinity Pharmaceuticals initiates Phase 1b/2 trial of IPI-926 Hedgehog pathway inhibitor for pancreatic cancer

Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an innovative drug discovery and development company, today announced that it has initiated a randomized Phase 1b/2 clinical trial evaluating IPI-926, its novel, oral Hedgehog pathway inhibitor, in combination with gemcitabine in patients with pancreatic cancer.

22 Apr 2010

Aptium Oncology Myeloma Consortium launched

Aptium Oncology, Inc. today announced the launch of Aptium Oncology Myeloma Consortium (AMyC), a broad-based collaboration that brings together renowned investigators to work with pharmaceutical sponsors to advance clinical and translational research in myeloma and related cancers.

12 Apr 2010

Researchers develop sensitive measuring system for cGVHD

Researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new assessment tool to measure the severity of symptoms that can complicate stem cell transplantation. The tool assesses symptoms resulting from chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), and was presented with supporting research at the 2010 Bone and Marrow Transplant Tandem Meeting.

2 Mar 2010

Symposium exploring future of cancer research to be hosted at GUMC

The Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center hosts a symposium exploring the future of cancer research on Feb. 17th at Georgetown University Medical Center. Sponsored by the Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers, the two-part symposium, "Fighting a Smarter War Against Cancer: Personalized Medicine & the Cure for Cancer," will offer a focus on personalized medicine by bringing together experts in academia, industry and advocacy.

15 Feb 2010

Data from GenVec's trial in esophageal cancer showcased at 2010 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium

GenVec, Inc. announced today that data from the Company's trial in esophageal cancer were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's 2010 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium in Orlando, Florida on January 22, 2010.

22 Jan 2010

GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes not associated with increased risk of GC or CRC in Koreans

The glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) null genotypes have been linked to increased risk of developing cancer. The results regarding the association between GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes and the risk of GC or CRC were contradictory.

18 Dec 2009

Kingston University receives £99,000 for cancer research

Scientists have begun a three-year study to analyse why cancer patients become resistant to treatments designed to fight the disease. A research team from Kingston University has been awarded £99,000 to investigate why some tumours are sensitive and respond to treatments and why other tumours do not.

23 Nov 2009

New studies suggest elevated risk of gastrointestinal cancers in diabetic patients

There are minimal data assessing the relationship between diabetes with gallbladder, biliary and pancreatic cancer. Recent small studies have suggested an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer only in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).

20 Nov 2009

African-Americans more likely to die from colorectal cancer than Caucasians, says new study

New research published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that African-American patients with colorectal cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease and are less likely to undergo surgical procedures compared with Caucasians, suggesting that improvements in screening and rates of operation may reduce differences in colorectal cancer outcomes for African-Americans.

13 Nov 2009