May 19, 2016
October 2015, Vol. 4, No. 5
Accelerating Genomic Sequencing and Personalized Therapies for Young Patients
The Chan Soon-Shiong Children’s Precision Medicine Institute is a joint venture between Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Patrick Soon-Shiong Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong is the founder of Nantworks, a company largely dedicated to applying genomic and proteomic analysis studies to translate diagnoses and cures more quickly and accurately. Historically, his efforts have [ Read More ]
Comprehensive Genomic Profiling Advances Clinical Trials
Comprehensive genomic profiling of tumors can identify more targeted treatment options than “hots pot” tests and enable innovative trial designs, said Roman Yelensky, PhD, at PMO Live 2015. Unvalidated diagnostic tests with poor accuracy represent a challenge to informed targeted treatment decisions for patients with cancer. Therapies targeting the genomic [ Read More ]
Genetic Counseling in Personalizing Care: A New Department in PMO
Dear Colleague, I am pleased to announce a new department in PMO, Genetic Counseling. In each issue, PMO editorial board member Cristi Radford, MS, CGC, of the Moffitt Cancer Center will contribute an impactful article. In this issue, you will read about BRCA1/2 testing for any patient with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. [ Read More ]
Letter to Our ReadersNew Data Suggest Clinicians Should Consider Genetic Counseling and BRCA1/2 Testing for Any Patient with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Pancreatic cancer represents 3% of new cancer cases each year, with the average age of diagnosis being 71 years.1 The most common type of pancreatic cancer is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which originates from exocrine cells. Although pancreatic cancer accounts for a small percentage of cancers each year, its survival [ Read More ]
Genetic CounselingCase: Molecular Pathways in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Recent guidelines call for molecular testing for 2 specific actionable alterations in any patient with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with an adenocarcinoma component: EGFR mutation and ALK fusion. Testing should be performed at the time of diagnosis. A case demonstrating standard of care for the management of a patient [ Read More ]
Molecular Biomarkers Having Huge Impact on Cancer Clinical Trials
Increasingly, genomic alterations are being recognized and targeted for clinical trials. Improving clinical trial accrual in this environment may require multiple histology basket trials that increase the percentage of patients with “actionable” alterations, said Funda Meric-Bernstam, MD, at PMO Live 2015. The implications for the use of predictive markers for [ Read More ]
Update to Approaches to Therapy in Malignant Melanoma
Current approaches to the treatment and follow-up of patients with malignant melanoma, including those with brain metastases, were reviewed by speakers at the 2015 World Cutaneous Malignancies Congress. Approach to the BRAF-Positive Patient Melanoma is an immunogenic oncogene-driven cancer, said Grant McArthur, MB, BS, PhD, in explaining the rationale for [ Read More ]
Genetic Testing for Melanoma: What’s State of the Art?
Genetic testing in metastatic melanoma should include testing for all actionable mutations in exon 15, said Grant McArthur, MB, BS, PhD, at the 2015 World Cutaneous Malignancies Congress. Testing at the time of disease progression is not yet ready for routine clinical use. Test the Metastases In metastatic melanoma, tumor [ Read More ]
Identifying Targets in Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma:
An Interview with Patrick Boland, MD, of Roswell Park Cancer Institute
At the recent ASCO Annual Meeting, Patrick Boland, MD, of Roswell Park Cancer Institute, submitted an abstract entitled Comprehensive Multiplatform Biomarker Analysis of 212 Anal Squamous Cell Carcinomas highlighting the need to identify novel potential targets and therapeutic options for less common malignancies. In his study, investigators analyzed 212 anal [ Read More ]
Molecular Biomarkers Are Getting Attention in Early Detection of Cancer
Biomarkers have a promising role in the early detection and risk stratification of colonic neoplasia, lung cancer, and breast cancer said presenters at PMO Live 2015. Molecular Biomarkers: Colorectal Cancer The vast majority of screening colonoscopies are negative for significant lesions of advanced adenomas or carcinoma in average-risk and even [ Read More ]
The Next Generation of Agents for Lung Cancer
At the 16th Annual International Lung Cancer Congress, Tony Mok, MD, Professor of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, provided an overview of the next generation of agents, taking stock of the recent past for insights into the future of drug discovery. Drug discovery is rarely, if ever, [ Read More ]
16th International Lung Cancer CongressImmunotherapy Will Alter the NSCLC Treatment Landscape
Despite the promise of molecular profiling, approximately 80% of patients with lung cancer lack a defined genotypic mutation and thus become resistant when treated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. According to data presented at the congress, however, lung cancer remains a highly mutated disease, suggesting great potential for immunotherapy. “If [ Read More ]
16th International Lung Cancer CongressLooking into the Future of Lung Cancer Research
Each year, the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) recognizes luminaries in the quest to cure lung cancer with the Addario Lectureship Award. This year, Fred R. Hirsch, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, delivered his keynote lecture on the many [ Read More ]
16th International Lung Cancer Congress