Precision Medicine in Oncology®

New research suggests that HER2-targeted drugs may actually have much broader applications, benefiting patients who are not designated HER2-positive by routine testing.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology kicked off its 49th Annual Meeting with leaders urging all stakeholders in cancer care to vigorously oppose cuts to vital US biomedical research funding.

The security of genetic data collected from research study participants has emerged as a concern after investigators proved they could ferret out individual identities from large databases.

Arta Monjazeb, MD, and Michael Kent, DVM, from the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, describe an early phase trial exploring the potential of translating successful treatment from dogs to humans with advanced melanoma or sarcoma.

The decision about whether to get tested for a genetic mutation that may predispose a person to certain cancers is a difficult one for many patients to make. Even more difficult for mutation carriers is deciding whether to undergo a prophylactic surgical procedure.

Patrick Borgen, MD, chair, Department of Surgery, director, Maimonides Breast Cancer Center, discusses a patient's decision to be tested for a BRCA gene.

Michael J. Morris, MD, medical oncologist, Genitourinary Oncology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the use of radiographic progression-free survival as an endpoint in prostate cancer clinical trials.

Emanuel F. "Chip" Petricoin III, PhD, Co-Director, Center for Applied Proteomics & Molecular Medicine, Professor of Life Sciences, George Mason University, discusses the discovery of new biomarkers in breast cancer.

A high-profile case of a medical decision being based primarily on the results of a genetic test has prompted a national discussion on the benefits and risks associated with acting on the results of such a test.

The FDA concurrently approved erlotinib along with a companion diagnostic to be used together in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer harboring a specific EGFR mutation.

The majority of the new oncology drugs approved in 2012 are oral agents, and by reviewing the indications for these agents, it's easy to see how genetics impacts the agent's efficacy.

Due to the high lifetime risk of ovarian cancer and the poor ovarian cancer surveillance options available, women who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations are advised to remove their ovaries and fallopian tubes by age 40 or when childbearing is complete.

D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, from the University of Colorado Cancer Center, discusses the selective administration of targeted therapies in the adjuvant setting for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

OncLive is pleased to announce that the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center has joined its Strategic Alliance Partnership program.

An interesting conversation with this year's AACR president, Frank McCormick, PhD, on the next big area of interest in cancer research, and what the future holds for cancer research progress.

Debu Tripathy, MD, from the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the targeted therapies that are currently available for the treatment of patients with breast cancer.

An interview with Alice Tsang Shaw, MD, PhD, who has won broad recognition for her contributions to the treatment of NSCLC, including the use of crizotinib to target the ROS1 gene rearrangement and research into other emerging agents.

Lisa A. Carey, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discusses the present and future state of clinical trial design.

A large, international study has yielded a wealth of new information about genetic alterations that can increase an individual's risk of breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer.

A study of patients newly initiated to erlotinib therapy for NSCLC found that there is no uniformity in the billing codes used for pharmacogenomic testing prior to starting the drug, making it difficult to analyze treatment patterns and cost impact.

Barbara J. Gitlitz, MD, Stephen V. Liu, MD, and Peter A. Jones, PhD, DSc, from the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, describe efforts to translate promising epigenetic research into clinical practice.

Jeanette H.W. Leusen, PhD, focuses on studying the working mechanisms of therapeutic antibodies and the biology of fragment crystallizable receptors, including the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

A large proportion of patients become rituximab-refractory, which has prompted the development of newer CD20 agents with altered structures that are designed to improve upon rituximab's performance.

Abigail S. Caudle, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, gives an overview of two trials in breast cancer.

Fabrice Andre, MD, PhD, from the Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France, gives an overview of methods for improving the effectiveness of genomic alteration testing in clinical trials that explore novel targeted agents in breast cancer.

Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and low levels of the BRCA1 protein had significantly improved overall survival (OS) when their platinum-based chemotherapy was delivered abdominally by injection

The Biotech Focus series provides updates on advances in the oncology treatment pipeline. In each entry, summaries of ongoing research, breaking news, and FDA decisions relating to a variety of cancers are presented.

The question of whether it should be legal to patent genes has reached the US Supreme Court, and the impending decision by the highest federal court in the country could significantly transform the current research landscape.

Clinical trials are under way that may change the way risk of recurrence is assessed for early-stage breast cancer patients, allowing for individualization of therapy.

Emanuel F. Petricoin III, PhD, Co-Director, Center for Applied Proteomics & Molecular Medicine, Professor of Life Sciences, George Mason University, discusses disease screening with biomarkers.