Clinical advances in hematology & oncology : H&O
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Antiangiogenic therapy has emerged as an important concept in the treatment of solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) represents an important therapeutic target, as it is the primary mediator of angiogenesis and is induced by multiple tumor-relevant stimuli. The anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody bevacizumab has demonstrated a significant clinical benefit in patients with non-squamous cell NSCLC in a randomized phase III trial. ⋯ In some cases, combination therapy with different targeted agents may provide the most comprehensive treatment approach. In a randomized phase II study, bevacizumab in combination with the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor erlotinib demonstrated efficacy similar to chemotherapy plus bevacizumab. Ongoing studies are continuing to investigate new agents and identify the patients most likely to benefit from antiangiogenic therapy.
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High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is the most common and lethal subtype of ovarian cancer. Research over the past decade has strongly suggested that "ovarian" HGSC arises in the epithelium of the distal fallopian tube, with serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs) being detected in 5-10% of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers undergoing risk-reducing surgery and up to 60% of unselected women with pelvic HGSC. ⋯ Salpingectomy may also reduce the incidence of the 2 next most common subtypes, endometrioid and clear cell carcinoma, by blocking the passageway linking the lower genital tract to the peritoneal cavity that enables ascension of endometrium and factors that induce local inflammation. The implementation of salpingectomy therefore promises to significantly impact ovarian cancer incidence and outcomes.
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Clin Adv Hematol Oncol · Sep 2007
ReviewTrastuzumab for early breast cancer: current status and future directions.
The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is overexpressed/amplified in up to 25% of breast cancer patients, and this feature is associated with an aggressive phenotype, a high recurrence rate, and reduced survival. Until recently, combination chemotherapy was the most effective and only adjuvant treatment for HER2-positive patients. Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the HER2 extracellular domain, has recently demonstrated highly reproducible and astonishing benefit in halving the recurrence rate and reducing mortality in five adjuvant breast cancer trials. ⋯ Though trastuzumab has been able to significantly improve clinical outcomes of many patients with early breast cancer, the reality is that an unacceptable proportion will still relapse. Beyond trastuzumab, what is the next step for these HER2-positive breast cancers? This review first discusses the individual results of the five adjuvant trastuzumab studies in terms of efficacy and safety, highlighting their similarities and differences. It also evaluates the current status of trastuzumab as a result of these studies and explores the possible future direction for HER2-positive breast cancers in light of recent advances in translational oncology.
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The development of new anti-myeloma agents with different mechanisms of action from conventional chemotherapy has necessitated a new look at clinical trial design. We discuss design issues for cytostatic agents for phase I, II, and III clinical trials pertaining to myeloma. The success of phase I trials with cytotoxic agents is predicated on the dose toxicity curve being strictly monotone. ⋯ The appropriateness of different endpoints in phase II myeloma trials is discussed. The goal of phase III clinical trials for cytostatic agents is typically twofold: to determine efficacy of the new agent for all patients and for the subset of patients with a certain biomarker. We present different trial designs that can address both aims.