Oncology News and Research

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Oncology, meaning bulk, mass, or tumor, and the suffix ''-logy'', meaning "study of") is a branch of medicine that deals with tumors (cancer). A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''.

Fewer young women going for regular pap smears

According to new research findings, the number of young women going for a regular Pap smear test is dwindling. This test is a simple procedure that looks at the cervical cells and can detect cervical cancer early on. In 2001-02, 67% Australian women aged 20-69 went for a Pap smear, a number that went down to 60% in 2008-09. These are the lowest rates in the decade.

24 Aug 2010

3SBio and Isotechnika enter strategic agreement for voclosporin in China

3SBio Inc., a leading China-based biotechnology company focused on researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing biopharmaceutical products and Isotechnika Pharma Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of immune modulating therapeutics, today announced the signing of a development and commercialization agreement for voclosporin.

24 Aug 2010

First patient treated in Synta Pharmaceuticals' clinical trial of STA-9090

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced that the first patient has been treated in its clinical trial of STA-9090 in combination with docetaxel for the treatment of advanced solid tumor malignancies.

24 Aug 2010

Aileron Therapeutics, Roche partner to develop, commercialise Stapled Peptide Therapeutics

Aileron Therapeutics and Roche announced today that they have entered into a collaboration to discover, develop and commercialise a new class of drugs called Stapled Peptide Therapeutics. As part of this agreement, Roche will work with Aileron to develop drug candidates against up to five undisclosed targets selected from Roche's key therapeutic areas, which include oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS.

24 Aug 2010

Medivir appoints Daewoong as South Korean distributor for Xerclear

Medivir AB today announced it has appointed Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. as its exclusive distributor for Xerclear™ in South Korea. Under the terms of the agreement, Daewoong will be responsible for obtaining the regulatory approvals, and for marketing, sales and distribution of Medivir's cold sore product in the territory. In consideration of the rights granted to Daewoong, Medivir will receive upfront and milestone payments and royalties on sales according to a profit sharing scheme.

24 Aug 2010

Overutilization of medical imaging services increases unnecessary radiation exposure: Report

Overutilization of medical imaging services exposes patients to unnecessary radiation and adds to healthcare costs, according to a report appearing online and in the October issue of the journal Radiology that calls on radiologists to spearhead a collaborative effort to curb imaging overutilization.

24 Aug 2010

Ethicon Endo-Surgery launches EESadvancements.com

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. today announced the launch of EESadvancements.com, a new Web site designed to give surgeons advanced access to some of the company's newest surgical technology innovations before they reach full-scale release in the marketplace. The site also offers a collaborative environment where healthcare partners including surgeons, materials managers and OR Directors can share ideas on advancing the surgical continuum beyond minimally invasive procedures.

24 Aug 2010

Pfizer reports Progression-Free survival in SUN 1087 combination trial of sunitinib with erlotinib for NSCLC

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the SUN 1087 trial of sunitinib in combination with erlotinib versus erlotinib demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in Progression-Free but not in Overall Survival in patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

24 Aug 2010

Preclinical studies of BIND-014 to be presented at ACS National Meeting

BIND Biosciences announced today the presentation of its Medicinal Nanoengineering platform at the ACS National Meeting, including results from preclinical studies on its lead nanomedicine drug , BIND-014, scheduled to enter clinical trials later this year. BIND-014 is a targeted, polymeric nanoparticle containing the cytotoxic agent, docetaxel, which is approved in major cancer indications, including breast, prostate and lung.

23 Aug 2010

Epicept receives refusal to file letter on new drug application

EpiCept Corporation today announced that it received a refusal to file letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the New Drug Application (NDA) for Ceplene(histamine dihydrochloride).

23 Aug 2010

Researchers find new way to study oncogene's role in DNA repair

A key step in understanding the origins of familial breast cancer has been made by two teams of scientists at the University of California, Davis. The researchers have purified, for the first time, the protein produced by the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 and used it to study the oncogene's role in DNA repair.

23 Aug 2010

Hospira Japan receives approval for long term use of Precedex IV sedative

Hospira Japan Co., Ltd. today announced it has received an approval for the long-term (greater than 24 hour) use of the sedative "Precedex IV™200ug" (generic name: dexmedetomidine hydrochloride). This approval follows Hospira's first launches earlier this year of Precedex in Canada and in South Korea, important milestones for Hospira as the company continues to build the molecule's global presence.

23 Aug 2010

Pharma-Nutrition conference to highlight latest research on medical nutrition

Pharma-Nutrition, the new international scientific conference organised by Elsevier, the leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, aims to discuss the latest research, concepts and practical applications of medical nutrition in patient treatments, disease management and patient outcomes.

21 Aug 2010

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

Low testosterone levels to blame for low libido, fatigue and weight gain

While most frequently associated with women's health, age-related hormone changes, often dubbed menopause, can occur in men as well, causing symptoms of fatigue, mood swings, decreased desire for sex, hair loss, lack of concentration and weight gain. Experts estimate that more than 5 million men are affected, yet worry the number may be considerably higher since symptoms are frequently ignored.

21 Aug 2010

Tasigna receives approval for chronic myeloid leukemia in Canada

Tasigna (nilotinib) capsules have been approved with conditions in Canada as a new therapy for patients with CML, in the chronic phase (first phase) of the disease. Patients must be resistant to or intolerant of at least one prior therapy, including (Pr)Gleevec (imatinib mesylate), an established standard of care.

20 Aug 2010

Cerulean Pharma to assemble scientific experts at ACS National Meeting symposium

Cerulean Pharma Inc., a leader in designing and developing nanopharmaceuticals, today announced it will assemble a group of leading scientific experts at the American Chemical Society's ("ACS") 240th National Meeting & Exposition for a three-day thought leadership summit on the advancement of nanotechnology in the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries.

20 Aug 2010

Trial shows positive results for radioembolisation technique for colorectal cancer liver metastases treatment

Using the innovative technique of radioembolisation to treat patients with inoperable colorectal cancer liver metastases who have failed all standard-of-care chemotherapy options can more than double the time until their disease progresses, according to the final results of a Phase III randomised controlled trial published in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Oncology.

20 Aug 2010

SIR-Spheres safe, effective for patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases who have failed chemotherapy

Radioactive yttrium-90 labelled resin microspheres (SIR-Spheres; Sirtex Medical, Sydney, Australia) appear to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases who have failed available chemotherapy options, according to the final results of a prospective clinical multi-centre phase II trial conducted by the Italian Society of Locoregional Therapies in Oncology (SITILO) and published in the British Journal of Cancer.

20 Aug 2010

Palliative care recipients live longer and in less pain, study finds

The New York Times: "In a study that sheds new light on the effects of end-of-life care, doctors have found that patients with terminal lung cancer who began receiving palliative care immediately upon diagnosis not only were happier, more mobile and in less pain as the end neared — but they also lived nearly three months longer.

20 Aug 2010