5/9/2006 Chicago, IL staff WLS-TV (abclocal.go.com) According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 19,000 brain or spinal cord cancers were diagnosed in 2005 in the United States. Radiation is often used to shrink these tumors. With standard radiotherapy, either the whole brain or parts of the brain are radiated. However, more than just the tumor receives that radiation, and healthy tissue is also harmed. Because of this, radiation doses in a single treatment session are kept low to avoid major damage. Stereotactic radiosurgery devices are becoming more and more popular. This kind of radiotherapy allows higher doses of radiation to be delivered in a single treatment session. Because a high dose is used, it's vital that the radiation is only directed at the tumor and not healthy tissue. There have been many advances in radiosurgery devices over the last decade and as a result, there are nearly 30,000 radiosurgical procedures performed each year across the world. Getting Better: A new system, called Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery, is taking radiosurgery to new heights. Using multi-directional radiation beams, Novalis wraps a three-dimensional volume of radiation dose around tumors. By conforming to the contours of the tumor, the radiation is delivered in high doses to the tumor and avoids healthy brain tissue. The radiation beams are continuously adjusted during the treatment to match the shape of the tumor from numerous angles. This ensures the tumor gets the full prescription dose of radiation, while healthy brain tissue is protected. Why It's a Step Above: [...]

5/8/2006 New York, NY David Douglas cancerpage.com F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in combination with computed tomography (CT) offers advantages when planning head and neck cancer radiotherapy, researchers report in the May issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. "This study," lead investigator Dr. Dian Wang told Reuters Health, "has proved that the fusion between diagnostic PET and radiotherapy planning CT is feasible and enhances radiotherapy target definition when compared with CT-based radiotherapy planning." "This fusion technology is critical for advanced radiotherapy planning such as intensity modulated radiation treatment -- IMRT -- for treatment of head and neck cancer in terms of high dose conformality to tumor target and sparing of normal tissue structures from high-dose irradiation." Dr. Wang of The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and colleagues came to this conclusion after a pilot study in which 28 patients with head and neck cancer were evaluated using both techniques. The images were fused and used to generate IMRT plans. The combination approach led to CT-based staging changes in 16 (57%) of patients. Volume analysis showed that the gross target volumes in the fused images were significantly different from those generated from CT scans alone in 14 of 16 patients. At a median follow-up of 17 months, 16 patients had no loco-regional recurrence. "Even though it's a small sample group," Dr. Wang added in a statement, "this study shows that fusion of PET/CT with standard CT treatment planning images is not only feasible but can actually improve [...]

5/7/2006 Baton Rouge, LA Lauri Smith Anderson theadvocate.com Like a demanding houseguest who brought too much luggage and overstayed his welcome, cancer is gladly bid farewell by those patients fortunate enough to hear the word “remission.” Finally able to call themselves survivors, they eagerly anticipate returning to a normal life. Joy and celebration follow months of recuperation from surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation. The cancer is gone, eradicated, sent packing his bags of doom and destruction. But, is it really? Has the door really been bolted? Doubt and fear, held at bay, begin to creep in as the patient thinks about the other “R” word, “recurrence.” There is always a possibility cancer will come back and that it will be even worse the second-time around. Cancer inevitably leaves permanent marks on everyone it touches. Some are physical — a body scarred and weakened by the long struggle. Others are mental. When a patient comes to grips with his or her own mortality, life is never the same. Five years and three months after he was declared in remission from pancreatic cancer, John Wrenn saw his cancer return. “I was considered cured,” he said, though he admitted to having doubts. “I always figured that once you got cancer you had a ‘friend for life’ and that one form or another would appear again.” (After five years of being cancer free, most patients are considered cured.) Even before the second diagnosis, Wrenn said he was fairly certain his cancer had returned. “I was [...]

5/7/2006 Milford, MA Jon Brodkin Milford Daily News (www.milfordailynews.com) When Natick Labs chemist Ferdinando Bruno began researching potential uses for a component found in green tea, his goal was simple: build an efficient and light plastic battery to power equipment used on the battlefield. Bruno never dreamed he would instead find a new cancer treatment that may heal patients without the painful side effects associated with most forms of chemotherapy. His discovery, which is being pursued at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell with collaboration from U.S. Army scientists from Natick Labs, is showing promise in treating colorectal cancer and cancer of the breast, head, and neck. The treatment, researchers say, is an example of "green chemistry" because it produces none of the toxic waste associated with other chemotherapy drugs. "It’s very surprising that the drug works on these four diverse cancer types," said Susan Braunhut, a cancer biologist at UMass-Lowell. The chemotherapy drug is a long way from the market, as researchers have not yet begun testing it on animals. Tests on human cell lines have shown remarkable effectiveness killing cancer cells while appearing to do no harm to healthy cells, Braunhut said. The project began around 2000 when Bruno tried to use catechin, a component of green tea, to replace certain parts of disposable batteries. When used individually, the catechins, or building blocks, are vulnerable and easily degrade, Braunhut said. Bruno, however, joined them together in a novel way, using enzymes, to make them more stable and active. [...]

5/7/2006 Samuel J. Hooper et al. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 2006, p. 1719-1725, Vol. 44, No. 5 Despite increasing interest in the possible relationships between bacteria and the different stages of cancer development, the association of bacteria with cancer of the oral cavity has yet to be adequately examined. With that in mind, the primary objective of this study was to identify any bacterial species within oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue using a standard microbiological culture approach. At the time of surgery, a 1-cm3 portion of tissue was harvested from deep within the tumor mass using a fresh blade for each cut. Whenever possible, "superficial" portions from the mucosa overlying the tumor and nontumorous control specimens from at least 5 cm away from the primary tumor site were also obtained. Surface contamination was eliminated by immersion in Betadine and washing with phosphate-buffered saline. Each specimen was aseptically macerated and cultured on nonselective media under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Twenty deep-tissue specimens, 19 with corresponding superficial tissues and 12 with control tissues, were successfully processed. A diversity of bacterial taxa were isolated and identified, including several putatively novel species. Most isolates were found to be saccharolytic and acid-tolerant species. Notably, some species were isolated only from either the tumorous or nontumorous tissue type, indicating a degree of restriction. Successful surface decontamination of the specimens indicates that the bacteria detected were from within the tissue. A diversity of bacterial groups have been [...]

5/7/2006 Richmond, VA John Reid Blackwell TimesDispatch.com (www.timesdispatch.com) New tobacco products heat up debate over merit of cigarette alternatives Two new smoke-free tobacco products could be the wave of the future or a repeat of past missteps, some industry observers say. Cigarette makers Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. plan to test-market smokeless, spit-free tobacco brands targeted at cigarette smokers, fueling a debate among tobacco-control advocates over whether such products will help or hurt public health. The move indicates that cigarette makers are looking for ways to cope with stricter laws against indoor smoking and possible federal government regulation of tobacco products. Manufacturers also may hope to spur demand among smokers for products that are potentially less risky than cigarettes, which cause cancer, heart disease and contribute to about 400,000 premature deaths in the United States each year, public-health agencies say. "The marketplace is beginning to shift," said Scott Ballin, a Washington consultant who works on tobacco- and health-policy issues. If Congress gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products, companies could be allowed to market alternatives as safer than cigarettes, provided they have proof. "What is beginning to happen, in my view, is all these various companies are trying to position themselves to make sure they have a piece of the action," Ballin said. Studies have found that a large percentage of the more than 40 million U.S. smokers have tried to quit or would like to quit. Philip Morris says its research has [...]

5/6/2006 New Delhi, India staff IBN Live (www.ibnlive.com) Biotechnology major Biocon Ltd will seek Drug Controller General of India's approval for its novel monoclonal antibody being developed for the treatment of head and neck cancer, Biomab EGFR. "We will be submitting an application for approval to DCGI shortly and hope to be on target to launch 'BIOMAb' by this year end," Biocon Chairman and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw told PTI. Biocon's Cuban partner, CIMAB has already got marketing approval for the molecule in China, Argentina, Colombia and Cuba, she said. Confirming the marketing approval of its Cuban partner CIMAB, which originally identified the BlOMAb EGFR molecule, she said, "We have marketing rights for India and South Asia. We also have global manufacturing rights." On Biocon's plans for the US market, she said the company, currently, does not have the rights to market the molecule in the United States. "We do not have rights for the US market but we hope to qualify as a supplier of the molecule there," Shaw said. When asked about the impact BlOMAb EGFR will have on revenues of Biocon in next two-three years, she said: "full impact on revenues from Biomab EGFR will be seen over the next few years." The final product when launched would spearhead Biocon Biopharmaceuticals' foray into proprietary products for cancer therapy in the country. Clinical trials of the molecule were conducted at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore and KMC hospitals in Mangalore and Manipal.

4/29/2006 London, UK Tom Neilson Pharmaceutical Business Review Online (www.pharmaceutical-business-review.com) AstraZeneca is to pay $200 million for rights to co-promote in the US Abraxane, a breast cancer drug developed by Abraxis BioScience. Meanwhile, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company's branded anesthetic and analgesic products have been acquired by Abraxis for $350 million. Abraxane, approved by the FDA in January 2005, achieved sales of $134 million in its first 11 months on the market. The drug is currently in various stages of development for the treatment of a number of other cancers including first-line metastatic breast and non-small cell lung, adjuvant breast, neo-adjuvant breast, malignant melanoma, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, gastric, and head and neck cancers. The anesthetic and analgesic products acquired by Abraxis encompass over 100 dosage forms and include the leading branded anesthetic agent, Diprivan, and a proprietary Naropin, as well as a comprehensive suite of local anesthetics including EMLA (eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine), Xylocaine, Polocaine, Nesacaine, Sensorcaine, and Astramorph. "This deal gives AstraZeneca access to the key US chemotherapy market. Abraxane brings significant benefits to cancer patients over existing therapies and complements and extends our oncology product portfolio in the US," said Tony Zook, president and CEO of AstraZeneca US. "At the same time Abraxis BioScience is acquiring a strong anesthetic and analgesic portfolio which enhances their market leading injectable drug portfolio in the US."

4/29/2006 Mumbai, India staff MoneyControl.com Scientists in this brand new facility built by Biocon are an excited lot. That’s because Biocon's collaborator, CIMAB has just received the marketing approval for a revolutionary treatment for head and neck cancer. The fast track approvals are obtained for select countries like Columbia, China, Cuba and Argentina. The intravenous injectible drug coded H-R3 is a high-end biotech discovery that effectively blocks the epidermal growth factor receptors, a substance that is responsible for the growth of cancer cells. With almost 600 patients clearing the safety and efficacy data, this drug may see quick acceptance among patients with head and neck cancer. With more marketing approvals for the drug expected from European regulatory agencies soon, Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw expects due marketing permissions from India too. The pricing, she says, will be affordable to the Indian population. Biocon scientists say that the drug has significant advantages over its rivals in terms of localisation on points, where the cancer cell density is high. However, with global majors like Genentech working on more sophisticated monoclonal antibodies, this appears to be an exciting opportunities. Biocon may soon become the first ever Indian company to have its own molecule in the global market.

4/29/2006 Alexandria, VA Elizabeth A. Elliott et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 24, No 13 (May 1), 2006: pp. 2092-2097 Purpose: This multicentered phase III trial was designed to compare an emulsion containing trolamine against the usual supportive care within each participating institution for patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Patients and Methods: Patients with biopsy-proven squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: prophylactic trolamine emulsion, interventional trolamine emulsion, or declared institutional preference. The primary outcome was the reduction in grade 2 or higher skin toxicity, as per National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria version 2.0. Secondary outcomes included patient-reported quality of life (QOL). Results: From October 2000 to April 2002, 547 patients from 51 institutions were entered onto the trial. The average age was 59 years. Patients were predominately male (79%) and most continued to use tobacco products (52%). The rates of grade 2 or higher radiation dermatitis were 79%, 77%, and 79% in the prophylactic, interventional, and institutional preference arms of the study, respectively. No significant differences in QOL were found. Conclusion: The results of this trial demonstrate no advantage for the use of trolamine in reducing the incidence of grade 2 or higher radiation dermatitis or improving patient-reported QOL. The use of 15 different local standards of care highlights the need to continue research that will result in evidence-based recommendations to reduce the burden of radiation dermatitis. Authors: Elizabeth A. [...]