Docetaxel News and Research

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Docetaxel is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used alone or with other drugs to treat certain types of breast and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is also approved to be used with other drugs to treat squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and certain types of gastric and prostate cancer.

Docetaxel is a semi-synthetic, second-generation taxane derived from a compound found in the European yew tree Taxus baccata. Docetaxel displays potent and broad antineoplastic properties; it binds to and stabilizes tubulin, thereby inhibiting microtubule disassembly which results in cell- cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and cell death. This agent also inhibits pro-angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and displays immunomodulatory and pro-inflammatory properties by inducing various mediators of the inflammatory response. Docetaxel has been studied for use as a radiation-sensitizing agent.

Study reveals new protective mechanism for tumor cells in breast cancer

Greater knowledge of the mechanisms that contribute to the survival of tumor cells is key to vanquishing them.

25 May 2018

Treating metastatic breast cancer with immunotherapy

Breast cancer, in the stage with distant metastases, is an incurable disease with a 5 years survival rate of about 5-10%. Immunotherapy has recently improved survival in metastatic breast cancer patients with breast cancer harboring the expression of HER 2 receptor.

19 Mar 2018

Researchers use gold nanoshells to effectively release cancer drugs inside tumors

Researchers investigating ways to deliver high doses of cancer-killing drugs inside tumors have shown they can use a laser and light-activated gold nanoparticles to remotely trigger the release of approved cancer drugs inside cancer cells in laboratory cultures.

8 Nov 2017

Combination treatment improves progression-free survival in patients with advanced urothelial cancer

Ramucirumab plus docetaxel improves progression-free survival in patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who have progressed on platinum-based chemotherapy, according to late-breaking results from the phase III RANGE trial presented today at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid to be published in The Lancet.

14 Sep 2017

Two new treatments may benefit patients with high risk prostate cancer, trial shows

Patients with high risk prostate cancer starting long-term hormone therapy may benefit from two new treatments, according to late-breaking results from the STAMPEDE trial presented at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid.

8 Sep 2017

New trial confirms superiority of triplet regimen over standard care in resectable esophago-gastric cancer

The superiority of docetaxel based triplet therapy over standard care in patients with resectable oesophago-gastric cancer has been confirmed in late-breaking results from the FLOT4 trial presented at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid.

8 Sep 2017

Immunotherapy found to be smarter, kinder treatment for people with head and neck cancer

The immunotherapy nivolumab is kinder than chemotherapy for people with advanced head and neck cancer - easing many of the negative effects of the disease on patients' quality of life.

24 Jun 2017

Standard therapy plus abiraterone lowers relative risk of death in men with advanced prostate cancer

A clinical trial of nearly 2,000 men shows that adding abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) to a standard initial treatment regimen for high-risk, advanced prostate cancer lowers the relative risk of death by 37%.

5 Jun 2017

Researchers use mathematical modeling to find effective chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients

A team of Florida State University researchers is using mathematical modeling to find the best and most effective chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients.

4 May 2017

ASTRO issues new clinical guideline for management of oropharyngeal cancer with radiation therapy

The American Society for Radiation Oncology today issued a new clinical guideline for the management of oropharyngeal cancer.

17 Apr 2017

New immunotherapy active against mucosal melanoma and improves survival for bladder cancer patients

Clinical trials of a new immunotherapy, pembrolizumab, have shown that it prolongs life significantly for patients with bladder cancer and is active against a rare sub-type of melanoma, called mucosal melanoma.

30 Jan 2017

Cancer experts to discuss novel treatment strategies at ESMO Asia 2016 Congress

The ESMO Asia 2016 Congress announces its press programme today. The meeting brings together cancer experts in Singapore, from 16 to 19 December 2016.

23 Nov 2016

Melanoma drug offers considerable added benefit for patients with advanced NSCLC

Pembrolizumab was initially introduced for the treatment of melanoma. Since July 2016, the monoclonal antibody has also been available for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults whose tumours express the T-cell receptor ligand PD-L1 and who have received a prior chemotherapy regimen.

22 Nov 2016

Researchers focus on optimal use of immune agents in frontline setting for NSCLC treatment

Immunotherapy continues to revolutionize the field of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with researchers now focusing on the optimal use of immune agents in the frontline setting.

18 Nov 2016

NUS researchers identify molecular switch that makes breast cancer cells more aggressive

A team of scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has established novel insights into the relationship between breast cancer tumour intracellular redox environment and the cancer cells' ability to become invasive.

1 Nov 2016

Bioactive compound from neem plant shows promising effects on prostate cancer

A team of international researchers led by Associate Professor Gautam Sethi from the Department of Pharmacology at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore has found that nimbolide, a bioactive terpenoid compound derived from Azadirachta indica or more commonly known as the neem plant, could reduce the size of prostate tumour by up to 70 per cent and suppress its spread or metastasis by half.

29 Sep 2016

Checkpoint inhibitor for treatment of NSCLC patients shows indication of added benefit

Nivolumab has been approved since April 2016 as a checkpoint inhibitor for the treatment of adults with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have already undergone chemotherapy.

19 Aug 2016

Added benefit of lung cancer drug not proven, says IQWiG

Afatinib (trade name: Giotrif) has been approved since April 2016 for the treatment of adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of squamous histology who have already received chemotherapy.

19 Aug 2016

Bioengineers develop 2-in-1 nanomedicine for treating cancer

For cancer therapy, treatment resistance poses a major hurdle. Even aggressive treatments such as immunotherapies or nanomedicines may fail to eliminate all cancer cells, allowing new mutations to develop that may cause relapse.

28 Jun 2016

NaF-PET/CT scans can accurately detect bone metastases in advanced prostate cancer patients

A recent pilot study reported in the June issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine found that sodium fluoride (Na-F-18) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (NaF-PET/CT) accurately detects bone metastases in patients with advanced prostate cancer, and follow-up scans over time correlate clearly with clinical outcomes and patient survival.

8 Jun 2016