The lancet oncology
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The lancet oncology · Feb 2025
Review Comparative StudyDifferences in the on-label cancer indications of medicinal products between Europe and the USA.
The definition of a therapeutic indication formulated by regulatory agencies is a decisive element for the marketing authorisation of medicinal products and for patient access. Trotta and colleagues found that oncological indications granted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the period between 1999 and 2008 were clinically different in about 10% of cases. In this Policy Review, we compared the 162 therapeutic indications of 80 medicinal products for solid tumours and blood cancers authorised by the EMA between January, 2015, and September, 2022, with the corresponding labels approved by the FDA. ⋯ These differences lead to a different population for which drugs can be prescribed on label, with the FDA granting broader indications more often than the EMA. Therapeutic indications are a legal basis that define the eligible population to specific treatments. The fact that about half of the indications are different between the USA and Europe affect patient access to medications and should stimulate a debate on the weight that uncertainty plays in regulatory decisions.
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Advances in molecular biology, genetics, and epigenetics have refined our understanding of metastatic brain cancer and underscored the need for better classification and targeted approaches. The heterogeneity of brain metastases highlights the differences from their primary source of origin and contributes to therapeutic resistance. Before colonising the brain, tumour cells acquire specialised proficiencies that enable them to capitalise on the unique microenvironment of the brain. ⋯ These adaptations facilitate tumour survival, growth, and treatment resistance. Recognising metastatic brain cancer as a distinctive CNS disease, rather than an extension of the primary cancer, would support the development of rational approaches that target its molecular and genetic features and improve research funding in this area. Here, we delve into the distinct genetic and phenotypic characteristics of metastatic brain cancer, and reflect on how a change in the perception of this disease could accelerate the development of more effective therapies and drive continued progress in the field of neuro-oncology.
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The lancet oncology · Feb 2025
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyIbrutinib plus venetoclax in relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (SYMPATICO): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study.
The combination of ibrutinib and venetoclax leverages complementary mechanisms of action and has shown promising clinical activity in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ibrutinib-venetoclax compared with ibrutinib-placebo in patients with relapsed or refractory MCL. ⋯ Pharmacyclics (an AbbVie Company) and Janssen Research and Development.