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FDA approves first treatment to reduce risk of NSCLC progression

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Imfinzi (durvalumab) for the treatment of patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors are not able to be surgically removed (unresectable) and whose cancer has not progressed after treatment with chemotherapy and radiation (chemoradiation).

18 Feb 2018

Study reports longer survival for obese men with metastatic melanoma

Obese patients with metastatic melanoma who are treated with targeted or immune therapies live significantly longer than those with a normal body mass index, investigators report in a study published in Lancet Oncology of 1,918 patients in six independent clinical cohorts.

13 Feb 2018

Study lays groundwork for using PD-1 inhibitors against aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer

One type of immunotherapy removes a genetic blindfold that cancer uses to hide from the immune system. These "PD-1 inhibitors", including drugs like pembrolizumab, nivolumab and atezolizumab, have proven useful and have even in some cases revolutionized the treatment of common adult cancers ranging from melanoma, to lung cancer, to kidney cancer and more.

30 Jan 2018

Leading medical societies update molecular testing guideline for lung cancer

Rapid advancements in the molecular diagnostic testing of lung cancer have led to new treatments and greater hope for patients battling lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer death worldwide.

24 Jan 2018

Patients with desmoplastic melanoma respond well to immunotherapy

Desmoplastic melanoma is a rare subtype of melanoma that is commonly found on sun-exposed areas, such as the head and neck, and usually seen in older patients.

11 Jan 2018

Study finds mechanism of resistance to checkpoint inhibitors and way to reverse it

Researchers have discovered a mechanism of resistance to checkpoint inhibitors and how to reverse it. The biomarker results from the IMvigor210 study are reported at the ESMO Immuno Oncology Congress 2017.

8 Dec 2017

New first line combination therapy shows promising results in patients with advanced NSCLC

A new combination therapy for the first line treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) improves progression-free survival (PFS), according to results of phase III IMpower150 trial presented at the ESMO Immuno Oncology Congress 2017.

7 Dec 2017

OBD presents results of immunotherapy studies at FNIH Biomarker Consortium Cancer Steering Committee’s annual meeting

Oxford BioDynamics Plc, a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of epigenetic biomarkers based on regulatory genome architecture, for use within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, presented its latest results at the annual meeting of the Foundation for National Institute for Health Biomarker Consortium Cancer Steering Committee, held in Washington, DC on 6-7 November 2017.

22 Nov 2017

Researchers find way to improve immunotherapy drugs’ impact while limiting side effects

By connecting highly effective cancer immunotherapy drugs such as anti-CTLA4 (ipilimumab) and anti-PD-L1 (atezolizumab) to peptides that bind to tissues in and around tumors, a research team based at the University of Chicago found a way to improve the drugs' impact while limiting treatment-related side effects.

9 Nov 2017

Chronic liver inflammation promotes cancer by suppressing immunosurveillance, study finds

Chronic inflammation is known to drive many cancers, especially liver cancer. Researchers have long thought that's because inflammation directly affects cancer cells, stimulating their division and protecting them from cell death.

8 Nov 2017

Study reveals link between cancer relapse and body’s immune system

Results from a new study conducted at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, suggests cancer cells that remain in the body after treatment, utilize the immune system of the body to wake themselves up and boost their growth.

17 Oct 2017

First-ever treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma receives approval in Japan

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer Inc. today announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) has approved BAVENCIO (avelumab, genetically recombinant Injection 200mg/mL for intravenous use) as the first and only treatment indicated for curatively unresectable Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare and aggressive cancer, in Japan.

27 Sep 2017

Novel assay shows potential to detect circulating cancer biomarkers in blood samples

Future Science Group today announced the publication of an article in Future Science OA presenting early data from a novel assay for the non-invasive detection of PD-L1 and other biomarkers in patient blood samples.

22 Sep 2017

Researchers explore new combination approach to treat high-risk soft-tissue sarcomas

University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers are investigating a new approach to treat high-risk soft-tissue sarcomas by combining two immunotherapy drugs with radiation therapy to stimulate the immune system to destroy the main tumor as well as leftover microscopic cancer cells that may seed other tumors.

20 Sep 2017

Combination immunotherapy as second or third line treatment of mesothelioma shows promising results

Combination immunotherapy as second or third line treatment extends overall survival to at least 15 months in patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma, according to late-breaking results from the MAPS2 trial presented today at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid.

11 Sep 2017

Study: Immunotherapy shows promising response rate in patients with metastatic gastric cancer

Pembrolizumab has shown a promising response rate in patients with pretreated metastatic gastric cancer, according to late-breaking results from the KEYNOTE-059 trial presented today at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid.

8 Sep 2017

New method of genetic testing leads to successful targeting of MET fusion in lung cancer

There are many ways a gene can be altered and there are many genes that, when altered, can cause cancer. Testing individually for each possible alteration in every cancer-related gene is not feasible as it would require hundreds of individual tests and many, many thousands of dollars.

31 Aug 2017

Review highlights significant progress in developing new biologic drugs to treat colorectal cancer

New biologic drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies and immunotherapies in clinical development, designed to target metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and stimulate the immune system to destroy tumor cells are a significant advance in treatment over conventional chemotherapy.

29 Aug 2017

Scientists develop new chimeric antibody to treat malignant cancers in dogs

Scientists have developed a new chimeric antibody that suppresses malignant cancers in dogs, showing promise for safe and effective treatment of intractable cancers.

26 Aug 2017

Combination treatment effectively vaccinates mice against cancer

By combining an FDA-approved cancer immunotherapy with an emerging tumor-roasting nanotechnology, Duke University researchers improved the efficacy of both therapies in a proof-of-concept study using mice.

18 Aug 2017