Chemotherapy News and Research

Latest Chemotherapy News and Research

Initiation of Phase I/IIa clinical trial of IL-7 announced

Cytheris SA, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new therapies for immune modulation, today announced the initiation of a Phase I/IIa clinical trial of IL-7 in support of tumor lysate/KLH pulsed dendritic cell vaccines in a pilot study of tumor vaccination in patients with metastatic or recurrent pediatric solid tumors and altered T cell homeostasis, including patients with Ewing’s sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT), rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, synovial cell sarcoma, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, undifferentiated sarcoma, and embryonal sarcoma.

23 Nov 2009

Combination therapy improves survival rates of patients with head and neck cancer

Cancer Research UK scientists have found that a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy improves survival from advanced head and neck cancer in patients who are not able to have surgery.

23 Nov 2009

Scientists discover new potential target for treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Physician-scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered a molecular mechanism that may prove to be a powerful target for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects lymphocytes, or white blood cells. By exploiting this mechanism, researchers have been able to powerfully suppress tumor formation in lab testing and in animal models.

22 Nov 2009

Cancer promoting gene identified

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine researchers have identified a gene that may play a pivotal role in two processes that are essential for tumor development, growth and progression to metastasis. Scientists hope the finding could lead to an effective therapy to target and inhibit the expression of this gene resulting in inhibition of cancer growth.

21 Nov 2009

New hope for patients with liver cancer

In patients with unresectable (unable to be removed by surgery) liver cancer, an interventional radiology procedure called triple-drug transcatheter arterial chemoemobolization (TACE) followed by a liver transplant may significantly increase a patient's chance of long-term survival, according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

21 Nov 2009

FISH technology accurate in measuring the HER-2 receptor in human breast tumors

The debate on how to select patients who will respond best to costly drug treatments for aggressive breast cancer now favors fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to measure the HER-2 receptor found in human breast tumors, according to a leading pathologist presenting at the Association for Molecular Pathology annual meeting.

20 Nov 2009

Antigenics to withdraw its MAA for Oncophage following CHMP’s negative opinion

Antigenics Inc. today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), has formally adopted a negative opinion on the marketing authorization application (MAA) for Oncophage (vitespen) as a treatment in earlier-stage, localized renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).

20 Nov 2009

Boston Scientific's WallFlex Fully Covered Esophageal Stent receives FDA clearance and CE Mark approval

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CE Mark approval to market its WallFlex® Fully Covered Esophageal Stent for the treatment of malignant esophageal strictures (obstructions) caused by tumors in patients with resectable or non-resectable esophageal cancer.

20 Nov 2009

Genta announces preliminary results from study of Genasense Injection for advanced melanoma

Genta Incorporated announced preliminary results that show a high objective response rate in a pilot study of patients with advanced melanoma that incorporates the Company’s lead oncology product, Genasense® (oblimersen sodium) Injection, administered for the first time as a 1-hour high-dose intravenous (IV) infusion.

20 Nov 2009

Aegera Therapeutics commences AEG35156 Phase 2B study for AML

Aegera Therapeutics Inc. announced today the dosing of the first patient in a randomized Phase 2B study of AEG35156, a targeted antisense therapeutic in mid-stage development for multiple oncology indications.

19 Nov 2009

Adamas Pharmaceuticals expands its Phase 2 TCAD therapy study for influenza A

Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held company, announced today that it has expanded its Phase 2 clinical study of a proprietary investigational triple-combination antiviral drug therapy for influenza to include centers in the United States, Canada and Europe. The study, which was initiated in August 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere, is designed to investigate Adamas' triple combination antiviral drug (TCAD) therapy as a treatment for influenza A, including novel influenza A/H1N1, the cause of the current flu pandemic.

19 Nov 2009

Breastcancer.org opposes proposed new guidelines for mammograms

"The recommendation to change breast screening is a huge step backwards," says Dr. Marisa Weiss, a leading breast oncologist and founder and president of Breastcancer.org.

19 Nov 2009

BioAlliance Pharma wins first prize in Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 2009

BioAlliance Pharma SA, a company dedicated to the treatment and supportive care of cancer and AIDS patients, today announced that it has won first prize in Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 2009TM ranking of France's fastest-growth technology companies.

19 Nov 2009

USPSTF's new guidelines for mammography: The Maurer Foundation for Breast Health Education disagrees

The United States Preventive Services Task Force has announced new guidelines for when a woman should be getting a mammography. The Maurer Foundation's Founder, Breast Surgeon Dr. Virginia Maurer, has made an official statement regarding her research and beliefs on the subject.

19 Nov 2009

FDA issues complete response for Rituxan, a drug for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Genentech, Inc., a wholly-owned member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), and Biogen Idec announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a complete response on the companies’ applications for Rituxan® (rituximab) plus fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) for the treatment of people with previously untreated and previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

19 Nov 2009

New radical approach to test chemo drugs for potential toxic effects

Jackson Laboratory Professor Gary Churchill wants to change that. With a new two-year, $1 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, Churchill is launching a radical new approach to testing three chemotherapeutic drugs for potential toxic effects.

19 Nov 2009

Radiation breakthrough to treat breast cancer patients in one day arrives at CTCA

A radiation breakthrough to treat breast cancer patients in one day, as opposed to the current average of six weeks, has arrived at Cancer Treatment Centers of America(R) (CTCA) in Philadelphia. CTCA will become the first in the country to offer this treatment option using the Novac7 technology from Rome, Italy.

19 Nov 2009