Growth Factor News and Research

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Dacomitinib ‘not superior’ to erlotinib in advanced NSCLC

Dacomitinib, an irreversible, pan-epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, does not improve outcomes compared with the first-generation EGFR–TKI erlotinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, irrespective of their KRAS mutation status, finds the ARCHER 1009 study.

24 Nov 2014

Research: HD-IL2 can be effective in mRCC patients pre-treated with VEGF-targeted agents

High-dose interleukin-2 can be effective in selected metastatic renal cell cancer patients pre-treated with VEGF-targeted agents, reveals research presented today at the ESMO Symposium on Immuno-Oncology in Geneva, Switzerland.

24 Nov 2014

New drug shows promise against treatment-resistant non-small cell lung cancer

A new drug that targets not only common cancer-causing genetic mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but also a form of the mutation that causes resistance to treatment, has shown promising results in patients in a phase I/II clinical trial.

23 Nov 2014

VEGF-B can regenerate damaged peripheral nerves without causing growth of new blood vessels

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have found that a growth factor can regenerate damaged peripheral nerves without causing the growth of new blood vessels -- making it a unique candidate to treat nerve damage in areas of the body where the proliferation of blood vessels would be a drawback.

18 Nov 2014

No survival benefit with dacomitinib in pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC

The irreversible, pan-epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor dacomitinib does not offer a survival benefit in pretreated patients with advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, phase III trial results show.

14 Nov 2014

University of Leeds researchers make new synthetic anti-cancer molecule

Researchers at the University of Leeds have made a new synthetic anti-cancer molecule that targets two key mechanisms in the spread of malignant tumours through the body.

13 Nov 2014

Toxicity profiles for everolimus, temsirolimus differ in advanced RCC

Non-infectious pneumonitis and stomatitis occur more frequently in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with everolimus than temsirolimus, whereas temsirolimus is associated with a higher incidence of fatigue, rash and asthenia, a retrospective study reports.

13 Nov 2014

Bevacizumab–erlotinib combined efficacy may depend on VEGF level

Bevacizumab may enhance the antitumour activity of erlotinib by increasing the intratumoural concentration of erlotinib in some non-small-cell lung cancers expressing high levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, Japanese researchers report.

13 Nov 2014

Endothelin gene expression linked to vision loss in premature babies

A gene known to play a major role in constricting blood vessels also appears to be a major player in the aberrant blood vessel growth that can destroy the vision of premature babies.

11 Nov 2014

New treatment could halt growth of tumours in prostate cancer patients

Scientists believe a new treatment, shown to be effective in mice, could halt the growth of tumours in patients with prostate cancer.

11 Nov 2014

Eribulin drug has minor added benefit in one patient group, indication of lesser benefit in others

Eribulin (trade name: Halaven) is approved for women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in whom the disease has progressed despite prior drug therapy. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether the drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy in these patient groups.

7 Nov 2014

People with lactose intolerance at lower risk of suffering from certain cancers

People with lactose intolerance are at lower risk of suffering from lung, breast and ovarian cancers, according to a new study by researchers at Lund University and Region Skåne in Sweden.

4 Nov 2014

New Clinical Practice Guideline for diagnosis, treatment of acromegaly

The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the diagnosis and treatment of acromegaly, a rare condition caused by excess growth hormone in the blood.

31 Oct 2014

Growth hormone worthwhile treatment in hypochondroplasia

Researchers report that recombinant human growth hormone can improve growth in children with hypochondroplasia.

30 Oct 2014

EGFR–TKIs linked to reduced chemotherapy sensitivity in NSCLC

Epidermal growth factor receptor–tyrosine kinase inhibitors appear to significantly reduce the efficacy of subsequent chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer, Chinese researchers report.

30 Oct 2014

Study sheds light on the mystery of biological clock that controls fertility in women

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified the biological clock that governs female fertility. The discovery represents a major contribution to research aimed at finding medical approaches to treating infertility in women.

29 Oct 2014

Preeclampsia study provides pathways for new therapeutic treatments

A team of researchers led by a Wayne State University School of Medicine associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology has published findings that provide novel insight into the cause of preeclampsia, the leading cause of maternal and infant death worldwide, a discovery that could lead to the development of new therapeutic treatments.

27 Oct 2014

Growth factor boosts natural defence against auto-immune diseases

Our immune system defends us from harmful bacteria and viruses, but, if left unchecked, the cells that destroy those invaders can turn on the body itself, causing auto-immune diseases like type-1 diabetes or multiple sclerosis. A molecule called insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) boosts the body's natural defence against this 'friendly fire', scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo, Italy, have found.

25 Oct 2014

Researchers reveal how particular melanoma cells help tumors resist drugs

UNC School of Medicine researchers have pinpointed a set of intriguing characteristics in a previously unknown subpopulation of melanoma cancer cells in blood vessels of tumors. These cells, which mimic non-cancerous endothelial cells that normally populate blood vessels in tumors, could provide researchers with another target for cancer therapies.

25 Oct 2014