11/16/2005 Philadellphia, PA staff NewsWise (www.newswise.com) During the past decade, several new drugs have been approved that target specific genes and molecules, increasing survival for many cancer patients. Not only are these drugs often more effective than the current standards of care, they also carry an added benefit of fewer side effects. Many believe that a new generation of targeted therapies will be the first choice for cancer care in the future, with the goal of tailoring treatment to individual tumors and patients. Clinical studies with several molecularly targeted drugs are being featured at the Annual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics coordinated by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). These include: 1. A Phase III trial, which has found that cetuximab (Erbitux) and radiotherapy improves disease control and survival rates for a specific category of advanced head and neck cancers. 2. A Phase II study, offering encouraging results that temsirolimus, a derivative of the immunosuppressant drug rapamycin, may be effective against recurrent and metastatic endometrial cancer. Cetuximab Improves Locoregional Control and Survival of Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: Independent Review of Mature Data with a Median Follow-up of 45 Months (Abstract 2628) Head and neck cancers account for three percent of diagnosed cancers in the United States, and almost 13,000 people will die each year from the disease. A majority of these cancers begin in cells lining the head [...]

11/16/2005 Philadelphia, PA press release EurekAlert (www.eurekalert.org) A second look at compounds and drugs, some previously used to treat illness and conditions ranging from malaria to contraception, is giving new life to several abandoned therapies and new applications for existing drugs. From drugs such as the cottonseed extract gossypol, once tested as a male contraceptive in China, to arsenic, which can be made less toxic in an organic form, new applications are being investigated for effectiveness against solid tumors of various types. A press briefing features at the "Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics" International Conference here is spotlighting a few of these compounds and drugs that are undergoing recycling as possible cancer treatments. These include: Thalidomide, a notorious drug once linked to birth defects that is undergoing patient testing in combination with a growth factor against prostate cancer. A drug developed as an insecticide now helping scientists to understand the microtubule assembly process that is important for pancreatic cancer cell growth. Gossypol, once touted as a potential male contraceptive, may find a new use -- helping certain head and neck cancers overcome their resistance to cisplatin. An organic form of arsenic that is showing some potential as a treatment for solid tumors. Drugs currently used around the globe to treat people infected with malaria may address a critical cell nutrition issue with proliferating cancer cells. Overcoming Cisplatin Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer by Targeting Bcl-xL Using a Novel Small Molecule (Abstract 3256) In nature, cotton seed produces two forms [...]

11/16/2005 Vancouver, B.C., Canada staff Globe and Mail (www.theglobeandmail.com) The B.C. Cancer Agency has developed a new scope to detect oral cancer that will allow dentists to see changes in the mouth not visible to the naked eye. The instrument, known as a VELscope, was pioneered with the help of a $2.5-million grant from the National Institute of Dental Craniofacial Research. The blue light of the portable hand-held scope will enable dentists to see cancerous lesions that they could not otherwise detect under white light. The device was recently showcased in Montreal at an international congress on new technologies, where it was reported that cheek cells could identify lung cancer. The device was recently showcased in Montreal at an international congress on new technologies, where it was reported that cheek cells could identify lung cancer. “What we're trying to do is prevent the development of oral cancer, which is a really deadly disease,” said Dr. Miriam Rosin, senior scientist at the B.C. Cancer Agency. “If you catch it late the spread is significant and it's very difficult to control,” Dr. Rosin said. The scope can be compared to the Pap smear screening for cervical cancer, she said. Dentists will be able to use the VELscope to determine if patients need more evaluation through scrapings from the mouth.The scope is currently being used in a clinical trial of 400 patients. Half of those people have already been treated for oral cancer and are being tracked to ensure they don't develop a [...]

11/15/2005 England staff British Dental Journal (2005); 199, 555. doi: 10.1038 Results from a University of Pittsburgh study evaluating intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for head and neck cancer has determined the ideal doses for lessening treatment side effects. The findings were presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in Denver. “Despite major advances in chemotherapy and radiation for the treatment of head and neck cancers, many patients continue to suffer debilitating side effects that greatly impact their quality of life,” said Dwight E. Heron, M.D., study co-author and associate professor of radiation oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “While these high-energy beams are targeted to the tumour site as precisely as possible, they often inadvertently injure healthy tissue that surrounds the tumour site, limiting the doses of radiation that can be used to effectively destroy cancer cells. With this study, we sought to discover whether tightly focused radiation beams, such as those provided by IMRT, would make a difference in the severity of side effects associated with treatment and found a distinct dose-response relationship in the oral cavity of patients treated with IMRT in addition to chemotherapy.” In the study, 70 patients with head and neck cancer were treated with IMRT using the Eclipseâ Planning System, Varian Medical Systems and chemotherapy. Patients were treated from April 2002 through September 2004 and were evaluated for grade level of oral mucositis, or inflammation, based on the volume of IMRT dose administered. [...]

11/15/2005 England S. Scott & M. McGurk British Dental Journal (2005); 199, 585. doi: 10.1038 Research Letters: Sir, we read with interest the article by McLeod et al. on delays in the diagnosis of oral cancer. An assumption of the paper is that reducing diagnostic delays will reduce tumour stage at diagnosis. The current literature indicates there is no significant association between duration of diagnostic delay and stage of oral cancer at diagnosis, suggesting advanced stage disease is not always a consequence of delayed diagnosis (delay being defined as the period from the onset of symptoms to receipt of a definitive diagnosis). We have investigated this relationship in a consecutive cohort of patients (n = 250) presenting to Guy's Hospital Head and Neck Service, with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. Although just over half the cohort followed the logical delay-stage relationship (29% had no delay and early stage disease, while 24% had a long delay and had advanced stage disease), 27% paradoxically had no delay yet had advanced stage disease and 20% had a prolonged diagnostic delay yet had early stage disease. It is suggested the paradox is due to different rates of tumour growth. However the time durations involved are simply not long enough for a squamous cell carcinoma to develop from an early lesion into late stage disease. A more plausible explanation (but one which has received relatively little attention) is that some oral cancers may be silent (asymptomatic) until late in the disease period. Conversely, [...]

11/14/2005 United Kingdom staff LifeStyle Extra (www.lse.co.uk) An increasing number of young Brits are being killed by mouth cancer because of their unhealthy lifestyles, including smoking and binge drinking, research revealed today. Doctors are urging people of all ages to check their mouths more regularly in the fight against the number of mouth cancer deaths which can strike at any age. The most common causes of mouth cancer are smoking and binge drinking and people who do both are 30 times more likely to develop the condition. Bad eating habits are also a contributory factor in causing the disease. In the UK over 4,300 new cases of mouth cancer are diagnosed annually with around 1,700 people dying every year. Recent research shows that mouth cancer, once considered to be a condition that affected older men, has now become a more common worry for younger men and women. Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, said: "In the UK, mouth cancer kills a person every five hours and is no longer just older men who need to be worried about developing mouth cancer - the condition can strike anyone. "Regular self-examination is now normal for breast cancer and testicular cancer, and it needs to be the same for mouth cancer. "The most common cause of mouth cancer are smoking and drinking alcolhol to excess. People who both are 30 times more susceptible. "Of course you can cut your risk considerably by leading a healthy lifestyle, so giving [...]

11/14/2005 staff CancerConsultants.com According to a recent article published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, the agent Ethyol® (amifostine) protects against xerostomia (abnormally dry mouth) while not affecting long-term outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer who undergo radiation therapy. Approximately 40,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with head and neck cancer every year. Cancers of the head and neck include cancers of the nasal cavity, and sinuses, mouth, and throat. According to the American Cancer Society, 11,000 people died from head and neck cancer in 2004. Standard treatment for head and neck cancer is largely determined by the stage (extent to which the cancer has spread) and by the specific locations within the head or neck area where the cancer has spread. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy tend to be commonly used. Unfortunately, side effects caused by radiation therapy (ulcers, dry mouth, burning of the tissue at the site where radiation is aimed) are common. In addition to drastically reducing the quality of life of patients, these side effects often cause a delay or cancellation of administration of chemotherapy or additional radiation therapy. Postponing of missing just one dose of therapy may result in compromised outcomes, including a worsening of overall survival. Therefore, complete prevention of these side effects is crucial in providing optimal outcomes. Xerostomia refers to a condition of an abnormally dry mouth. Patients with severe xerostomia have very limited or virtually no saliva production. This results in difficulty eating, speaking, and [...]

11/13/2005 New York, NY staff CBS Sunday News (www.cbsnews.com) For many people with a terminal illness, their last hope may come from a drug that is not widely available; a drug in the testing phase by a pharmaceutical company yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The only way to get such a drug is through a government approved clinical trial. But now some patients, their families and doctors say that clinical trials in terminally ill patients may be killing more people than saving, reports CBS Sunday Morning medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay reports. Frank Burrough's daughter Abigail was diagnosed with head and neck cancer at age 18. She died three years later. He blames her death not only on her disease but the way modern medicine develops drugs. When asked if his daughter realized how ill she was, Burroughs says, "Absolutely. She knew fairly early on that she was in big trouble." But to Burroughs, it wasn't just neck and lung cancer that led to the death of his 21-year old daughter. He blames the way modern medicine develops drugs. Abigail was a very open minded, inclusive person, Senay reports. A gifted student, active in her community and at church, Abigail's life was in full swing. "She had lots of friends, honors in college. She was a very good student. She lived life to the fullest," Burroughs says. "She did all kinds of charity work." Then the cancer diagnosis. But as Abigail's condition worsened, two promising [...]

11/13/2005 London, England staff Daily Mail (www.dailymail.co.uk) Smokers are worryingly unconcerned about the high risks they face from mouth cancer, research has revealed. While the dangers of lung cancer remain at the forefront of fears about tobacco, many remain unaware that smokers are six times more likely to develop mouth cancer than non-smokers. A survey has now found that nine out of 10 smokers (89 per cent) put concerns about mouth cancer as a low priority. Only 5 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds who smoke said they worried about mouth cancer - despite the fact that 90 per cent of people with mouth cancer are tobacco users. The research, by dental plan provider Denplan, came during Mouth Cancer Awareness Week, which runs until November 19. Charity Cancer Research UK is this week also to warn about the link between alcohol consumption and a rise in mouth cancer cases in the UK, with a new campaign to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms. Around 4,300 new cases of mouth cancer - also known as oral cancer - are diagnosed in the UK each year. The Denplan survey, of more than 2,200 people, found that both smokers and non-smokers were more likely to worry about other types of cancer than mouth cancer with only one in five (20 per cent) concerned about contracting the disease. But with half of people with mouth cancer dying from the disease, it has a higher proportion of deaths than breast, cervical and skin cancer. [...]

11/11/2005 Toronto, Ontario, Canada press release prnewswire.com Viventia Biotech Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated the Company's lead drug, Proxinium(TM), as a Fast Track Product for the treatment of patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The Fast Track program facilitates the development and expedites the review of new therapeutics that are intended to treat serious or life threatening diseases and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs. The Fast Track Program is intended to accelerate the filing of an NDA. The FDA will provide input into product development plans and may accept portions of the marketing application prior to the completion of the final registration package. Also most, but not all, drugs that are designated for the Fast Track Program are given priority review once the NDA is filed. The targeted date for drugs entitled to priority review is 6 months compared to the target of 10 months as set by the Food and Drug Modernization Act. "Recurrent, refractory head and neck cancer is a devastating and aggressive disease for which there are limited treatment options," said Dr. Nick Glover, President and CEO of Viventia. "We look forward to working with the FDA to further advance our clinical strategy for Proxinium(TM), which has shown promising early-stage efficacy results in patients with this form of cancer." About Proxinium(TM) Proxinium(TM) combines a powerful cytotoxic protein payload with the highly precise tumour-targeting characteristics of a monoclonal antibody. A single [...]