Oncology Business Management

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. In this issue: 1) University of California, San Francisco: Novel Mapping Technique Has Potential to Improve Brain Surgery 2) Indiana University School of Medicine: Combination of Taxol and Avastin Yields Robust Results for Breast Cancer 3) M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas: New Test Has Potential To Heighten Myelodysplastic Syndrome Assessment Accuracy 4) James P. Wilmot Cancer Center,University of Rochester Medical Center: Alternate Lymphoma Option Shows Promise 5) The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota: Cell Line Research Further Affirms Obesity as a Breast Cancer Risk Factor

Topics covered in this issue include: 1) National Managed Care Plans Stop Paying for Anesthetic in Colonoscopy 2) Managed Care Organizations Will not Pay for Care Resulting From Preventable Errors 3) Is Progression-Free Survival a Real Clinical Benefit? 4) Do Practice Patterns Reflect National Recommendations in Gallbladder Cancer? 5) National HMO Bases Chemotherapy Coverage on Guideline Compendium 6) Pap Test Screening: Better Testing Versus More Frequent Office Visits 7) CMS Issues Instructions for EPO Claims Reporting

The Clinical Trials reported in this issue include: PHASE III: 1) Central Nervous System Stimulant for Brain Tumors 2) Paclitaxel and Carboplatin Treatment for Patients With Lung Cancer 3) The 100-Month Analysis of the ATAC Trial 4) Radical Nephrectomy not as Beneficial as Partial Nephrectomy for Small Renal Tumors in Younger Populations 5) Combination Therapy Reduces Prostate Cancer Death Rates 6) Bortezomib Produced Significant Complete Remission Rates in Front-Line Multiple Myeloma Trial PHASE II: 1) Subcutaneous Amifostine Treatment for Head and Neck Carcinoma

Articles in this issue include: United Kingdom: The Pill's Anti-Ovarian Cancer Effect Lasts for Decades The Netherlands: Catheter-Related Infection Prevention Improves With Specialized Rinse Italy: Obesity May Help Survival in Women Who Have Endometrial Cancer Germany: One-Two Punch for B-cell Lymphoma in the Elderly South Korea: Predicting Survival by Counting Metastatic Lymph Nodes Poland: Do Chest X-Rays in Young Women Raise the Risk of Breast Cancer? Australia: Concurrent or Sequential Anthracycline and Docetaxel?

In this issue: Bortezomib (Velcade) Granted Priority Review Status for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Reports from American Society of Hematology: Advances in Thrombosis: (1) AMG 531 Demonstrates Efficacy in Sustaining Platelet Counts in Splenectomized Patients With Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Phase III Study (2) Low–Molecular-Weight Heparin Reduces the Cost of Venous Thromboembolism Treatment Compared With Unfractionated Heparin

What if lung cancer recurrence could be prevented for years after surgery by giving simple recall injections every two years?

The 30th Annual Charles A. Coltman, Jr. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) was held December 13-16, 2007, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas. Our editors highlight the newest research and emerging trends in treatment and care.

In this issue, Oncology & Biotechnology News' editors focus on the 30th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), held in December. In addition,such departments and monthly columns as Physicians' Financial News, Global Reports, Clinical Trial Reports, The Academy, and Reimbursement and Managed Care News offer the practicing oncologist the perspectives needed to keep abreast of the industry.

Physicians' Financial News focuses on news-making and/or notable companies in the oncology biotechnology sector. In this issue: Sanofi-Aventis: Pushing Forward Pipeline, Products, and Profits OncoGenex Technologies: Prostate Cancer Product Candidate Hits Primary Phase II Endpoint GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Genmab: Potential Leukemia Treatment Shows Positive Response in Dual-Phase Trial Genentech: Avastin Approval Brightens Genentech's Outlook Adherex Technologies, Inc.: ADH-1 Attains Orphan Status Novacea: Potential Advanced Cancer Treatment Clears Key Phase I Hurdles

Topics covered in this issue include: 1. Cost Effectiveness of Extended Letrozole Treatment After Discontinuation of Tamoxifen 2. The Effect of Consumer Cost Sharing on Mammography Rates 3. National Poll: Government Coverage Decision on Anemia Drugs Hurt Patient Outcomes 4. Updated Breast Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines 5. DNA Testing for Disease: Will Insurance Worries Limit Their Value? 6. Women With Breast Cancer Get Lower Pay 7. Lack of Health Insurance Equals Delayed Cancer Diagnoses

Clinical Trial Reports in this issue include: Phase IV: 1) Long-Term Aspirin Therapy Reduces Colorectal Cancer Risk Phase III: 1) Does Adding Cisplatin to Adjuvant Chemotherapy Improve Outcomes in Advanced Gastric Cancer? 2) FOLFIRI Plus Bevacizumab Provides Better Survival Than Other Irinotecan-Containing Regimen in First-Line Colorectal Cancer Phase II: 1) Single-Agent Activity of Sunitinib in Refractory Non������¢���¯���¿���½���¯���¿���½Small Cell Lung Cancer 2) The Importance of Targeting Androgen Receptor Signaling for Prostate Cancer Response Rate 3) Improving Survival in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor 4) Improving Overall Survival in Patients With Hormone- Resistant Prostate Cancer 5) Breast Cancer Stem Cells Decreased With Neoadjuvant Lapatinib Phase I/II: 1) Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma May Benefit From Implant Combinations

Articles in this issue include: 1) Germany: Drop the Syringe, Pick up the Tattooing Needle 2) Israel: Putting Women Under the Spotlight: Higher Frequency of Breast Cancer? 3) Japan: Esophagectomy in Patients Older than Age 75 4) Multiple Sites in Asia: Combination Treatment With Cetuximab for Colorectal Cancer Refractory to Irinotecan 5) Italy: Clinical Benefit of Sorafenib in Patients With Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis C 6) Sweden: Dietary Fiber: Does It Mitigate Breast Cancer Risk? 7) India: Indoor Air Pollution and Cancer Risk in Developing Countries

News reports in this issue include: - Tentative Link Established Between Skin Cancer and Colon Cancer - Aspirin Can Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer, Review of Studies Suggests - Douglas W. Blayney, MD, Elected ASCO President for 2009–2010 Term

Women whose breast cancer recurred after treatment had almost two times as much estrogen in their blood than did women who remained cancer free--despite treatment with anti estrogen drugs in a majority of the women.

The 5th Annual Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers Symposium was held in January in Orlando, Florida. Educational sessions and abstract presentations focused on each type of GI cancer, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach, hepatobiliary tree, pancreas, small bowel, colon, and rectum. Key presentations are summarized below.

In this issue our editors highlight the American Society of Clinical Oncology's 2008 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium held in January in Orlando, FL. As always, our departments provide a range of perspectives for the oncology professional--from Global Reports and Reimbursement and Managed Care to Clinical Trial Reports and Physicians' Financial News.

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. In this issue: Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles; Harvard Medical School, Boston; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven; and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School,Piscataway, NJ.

Phase IV: 1) Cancer Risks and Postmenopausal Hormone Link Confirmed Phase III: 1) Do Vitamins Protect Against Lung Cancer? 2) Longer Life Expectancy in Pancreatic Cancer When Gemcitabine Is Added to Chemotherapy 3) Outcomes Improve With Letrozole Treatment in Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer 4. Pemetrexed vs. Docetaxel for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment Phase II: 1) Talactoferrin-Alfa Treatment for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer 2) Advanced Carcinoid Systemic Therapy

Physicians' Financial News focuses on news-making and/or notable companies in the oncology biotechnology sector. In this issue: Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Flourishing on Strength of Single Agent With Multiple Applications Cephalon, Inc.: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatment Approved: First New Option in Seven Years Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: New Challenges, New Hope Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Potential Ovarian Cancer Treatment Advancing Through Development Pipeline BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and ASKA Pharmaceutical: Enhanced Survival, Tolerability Observed in Joint Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Trial

1) Cost Is Creeping Into the Therapy Decision-Making Discussion 2) Rounding Down Chemotherapy Doses: Does It Save Money for the Health System? 3) HER2 Testing and Treatment Patterns in Breast Cancer 4) Cost Effectiveness of a Drug Combination in Malignant Mesothelioma 5) The Effect of Epoetin Alfa on Quality of Life in Patients With Anemia 6) ASCO Seeks to Improve Coordination of Care, Introduces Treatment Template 7) What Factors Increase the Likelihood of Colon Cancer Screening?

A dual phase clinical trial of Millennium Pharmaceuticals' injectable bortezomib assessed the efficacy and safety of the drug in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The study findings were notable in that results included one of the highest reported complete remission rates ever attained in a trial of a prospective MM therapy.

Highly targeted chemotherapeutic agents, which have emerged over the past decade, offer renewed hope to many patients diagnosed with cancers once considered difficult or impossible to treat. However, with the new hope many of these "super drugs" bring come new challenges in the management of side effects, some which can become debilitating enough to interfere with cancer treatment.

The 13th annual conference of The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) was held in Hollywood, Florida, from March 5-9, 2008. Attendees were provided with updates to the organization's Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, protocols that, according to NCCN (a not-for-profit alliance of 21 of the world's leading cancer centers), currently cover the management of more than 97% of all cancer patients. Updated treatment guidelines were presented for an array of disease states, including breast cancer, leukemia, colon and rectal cancer, kidney cancer, multiple myeloma, and lung cancer.

In this issue, we provide a general overview of the 13th meeting of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)as well as session highlights,focusing on updated treatment guidelines. Our editors attended the Sixth International Symposium on Supportive Care in Oncology,Cancer Management in the Era of Targeted Agents,and present both the hope and the challenge of these "super drugs".

Current treatment approaches for mutiple myeloma focus on improving progression-free and overall survival. Although five-year survival rates have increased significantly over the past ten years, the prognosis of the disease is generally poor. The availability of several promising new therapies offers clinicians treatment options to further improve response rates, especially through the development of new combination regimens.