GLG News by ONC-Avastin Prescribers for Colorectal Cancer (US)

As I medical oncologist, I frequently deal with neuropathic pain caused either directly by tumors or for complications of cancer therapy.  this is a frequent complaint that impairs quality of life for cancer patients.  Current options for treatment all provides suboptimal efficacy and there...

Rituximab is an anti-CD 20 monoclonal antibody with activity in many diseases including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.  The current phase 3 trial provides further support for the use of rituximab in patients with CLL and is the first study to definitively show an improvement...

Zagat guides have been used with the immense popularity in the evaluation of restaurants, hotels and shopping sites.  The current plan is to apply these to doctor's offices- not physician quality.  The concept is nice and may be more meaningful for patients than to Wellpoint's business.&n...

Sirolimus has shown activity in shrinking benign tumors associated with tuberous sclerosis......opens the door for further exploration alone and combo in other mTOR driven disorders

Oncologists rely heavily on hormone and HER-2 status to guide treatment recommendations for women with breast cancer.  If the results of these important tests are incorrect up to 20% of the time, we may be suboptimally treating many breast cancer patients.

Medical oncologists have "maxed out" on  chemo combinations in lung cancer.  It is clear that biologic agents need to be incorporated into our treatment regimens in order to move forward. Erbitux is safer and can be used in a broader population of lung cancer patients than Avastin.

IL-21 is a cytokine with biological activity in regulating cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells.   In phase I studies, some tumor reduction was observed in patients with melanoma.  The current phase II trial will be designed to assess kidvid and toxicity in patients with metastatic...

TLR9 agonists have the potential to trigger the release of cytokines including interferon alfa.  IMO-2055 is a TLR9 agonist currently undergoing trials in combination with Tarceva and Avastin in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and at two dose levels in a Phase IIa trial in patients...

IPI-504 is an HSP90 inhibitor with activity against cancer.  A phase I/II trial has been initiated to assess the activity of this agent in groups of patients with both EGFR mutation positive and negative tumors.  Preliminary results are available from the phase I portion of the trial...

Avastin now has been approved in Europe for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.  However, available data leave questions as to why this agent should be favored over Sutent.