Oncology Business Management

Oncology & Biotech News provides updates from major oncology meetings because symposia remain an important means for disseminating new data. This issue, we highlight two important meetings: 2007 Breast Cancer Symposium (in San Francisco) and the World Conference on Lung Cancer (in Korea).

The Academy delivers the latest news on biotech and oncology research, providing a link between the clinical world of cancer care and the university researchers who are pushing the envelope of knowledge and discovery.

New data recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has provided a degree of hopeful news to oncologists and their patients, suggesting that progress is being made in the fight against cancer and that a number of trends are pointing toward continued gains.

News articles featured in this issue include: 1) Off-Label Use of Oncology Medications 2) More Work to Do on Breast Cancer Guideline Adoption 3) Multiple Biopsies Are Needed to Diagnose Prostate Cancer, and more

Physicians' Financial News focuses on newsmaking and/or notable companies in the oncology/biotech sector. In this issue: 1) Pharmion: Oncology-Centered Focus Fuels Continued Pharmion Growth 2) Bristol-Myers Squibb: Treatment-Resistant Breast Cancer Targeted 3) Merger-Mania Poised to Envelop Biotech Sector? and more

The European Commission has granted marketing authorization to sorafenib (Nexavar) for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer.

Blood clots and their complications are a major cause of death in cancer patients, and affect up to 20% of persons with cancer at some point in their treatment.

The Clinical Trials Reported in this issue include: PHASE III: 1) Trastuzumab and Anastrozole Extend Breast Cancer Survival in Patients Who Received Anastrozole Alone Earlier PHASE II: 1) Motexafin for Non%u2013Small Cell Lung Cancer 2) Oral Satraplatin Monotherapy for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer Shows Little Response, and more

Articles in this issue include: 1) Italy: Is the Knee Bone Connected to the Lung? 2) Turkey: Gabapentin Helps Opioid Treatment Alleviate Neuropathic Pain 3) China: Is a Blood Test for Early Diagnosis of Liver Cancer Within Reach?, and more

The 14th annual European Cancer Conference, sponsored by the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO), was held September 23-27 in Barcelona, Spain. The results of numerous major clinical trials were presented, along with an increasing wealth of new preclinical and translational data.

In this issue, we present updates from the 14th European Cancer Conference (ECCO), which took place September 23-27 in Barcelona, Spain. This year's meeting provided one of the largest multidisciplinary forums for discussing the entire spectrum of cancer research and management.

The Academy delivers the latest news on biotech and oncoloy research, providing a link between the clinical world of cancer care and the university researchers who are pushing the envelope of knowledge and discovery.

A collection of statistics and facts on skin cancer and melanoma

Physicians' Financial News focuses on news-making and/or notable companies in the oncology/biotech sector. In this issue: 1) Bristol-Myers Squibb: BMS Boasts Bright Oncology Future 2) Infinity Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca: Prostate Cancer Partnership Begins to Bear Fruit 3) Genentech: Avastin Shown To Halt Brain Cancer Progress, and more

Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Dosing Patterns and Costs of Erythropoesis-Stimulating Agents in Patients With Cancer 2) New Practice Guideline Updates Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer 3) Large Health Insurer Begins Genetic Risk Counseling for Cancer, and more

The Clinical Trials reported in this issue include: PHASE III: 1) Atamestane Plus Toremifene Compared With Letrozole for Advanced Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Treatment 2) Tamoxifen Superior to Arzoxifene for Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer 3) Head and Neck Cancer Treatment With Cisplatin, Fluorouracil, and Docetaxel, and more

Articles in this issue include: Sweden: What Do Genes Have to Do With Cancer Survival? United Kingdom: 1) New Renal Sarcoma Type Characterized 2) Vinflunine for the Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, and more

Each year, more than 60,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer, which has been linked to a number of risk factors, including cigarette smoking and exposure to hazardous chemicals.

2008's Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium

In this month's issue of Oncology & Biotech News, we report on the Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium, which was held in New York City. This excellent meeting highlighted emerging therapies in cancer treatment and the ways in which these treatments are changing our views and management of cancer.

Topics covered in this issue include: 1) A Need to Better Manage Use of CT Scans to Avoid Excess Cancer Risk? 2) Fuller Disclosure in Doctor-Ranking Models Nationwide 3) Which Is More Cost Effective: Rituximab or Stem-Cell Transplant for Follicular Lymphoma? 4) Colorectal Cancer Screening in Medicare Patients Still Largely Ignored 5) Does Quality of Life Vary Among Chemotherapies in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? 6) Insurer and Oncology Group Begin Pay-for-Performance Arrangement 7) Patients With Health Insurance Have Better Cancer Outcomes

Physicians' Financial News focuses on news-making and/or notable companies in the oncology/biotech sector. In this issue: Millennium Pharmiceuticals, Inc.: Future Looking Bright After Record 2007 Eisai Co., Ltd.: Eisai Purchases MGI Pharma Amgen, Inc.: Denosumab Linked With Increased Bone Density in Breast Cancer Patients Genzyme Corporation: Thyrogen Captures New Thyroid Cancer� Related Indication

A collection of cancer statistics and facts.

The Clinical Trials reported in this issue include: PHASE III: 1) What Factors Predict Prognosis in Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma? 2) Treatment for Patients With High-Risk Postoperative Breast Cancer PHASE II: 1) Epratuzumab Plus Rituximab Equals Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Response 2) Topotecan Added to Twice-Daily Chemoradiation to Treat Limited- Stage, Small-Cell Lung Cancer 3) First-Line Therapy for Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer 4) Radiotherapy for Nasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Therapy PHASE I/II: 1) A New Combination Approach for Advanced-Stage Germ-Cell Tumors

Articles in this issue include: 1) South Korea: Is Intermittent Imatinib Therapy for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia an Option? Genetic Marker Predicts Treatment Resistance and Poor Outcomes in Esophageal Cancer 2) France: Pelvic Radiation in Addition to Prostate Radiotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer 3) Multiple Sites in Europe: European Guidelines for Oral Mucositis Released 4) Japan: The Care of Delirium in Terminal Illness and Bereavement Needs 5) The Netherlands: Cancer Pain and Adherence to Analgesic Treatment 6) Switzerland, Belgium & France: Confirmation of Gene Expression Link to Chemotherapy Response in Breast Cancer

1) Lenalidomide (Revlimid) has been granted orphan medicinal product designation by the European Commission (EC) for treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). 2) Treatment With Cetuximab May Enable Complete Surgical Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases

New research suggests that a common but controversial treatment for prostate cancer reduces long-term death rates without greatly boosting patients' risk of heart problems.

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) held its 49th Annual Meeting at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta in December. The following reports provide summary coverage of meeting highlights, primarily focusing upon notable research breakthroughs relating to hematological malignancies.

This month we report from the American Society of Hematology's 49th Annual Meeting, which took place in Atlanta. Our pages provide summary coverage of meeting highlights, primarily focusing on notable research breakthroughs relating to hematological malignancies, including advances in multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma. Our regular columns--Global Reports, Clinical Trial Reports, Physicians' Financial News, and Reimbursement and Managed Care--offer practicing oncologists perspectives needed to keep current in the industry.

Physicians' Financial News focuses on news-making and/or notable companies in the oncology biotechnology sector. In this issue: Novartis: Novartis Leverages Formidable Size and Pipeline to Maintain Strong Oncology Position Roche AG: Ventana Medical Systems Taken Over by Roche Schering Plough: Potential Melanoma Treatment Granted Priority Review Amgen: Studies Suggest Expanded Role for Vectibix in Colorectal Cancer OxiGene: Potential Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Treatment Hits a Key Phase II Target