docetaxel – Page 2 – Oral Cancer News

Three-drug combination shows long-lasting survival benefit in head and neck cancer patients

Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com Author: staff Adding a third drug (docetaxel) to a standard two-drug initial chemotherapy regimen significantly improves the long-term survival of patients with head and neck cancer, reducing the likelihood of dying by 26% over 6 years. The long-term results of the TAX 324 trial published Online First in The Lancet Oncology, confirm that this three-drug regimen should become the standard of care for patients who are suitable for induction therapy. Every year, cancers of the head and neck are diagnosed in more than 40 000 people in the USA. Standard treatment for these patients involves combining radiotherapy and chemotherapy with or without surgery, and the addition of induction chemotherapy has been shown to prolong survival. However, the best ways of combining these treatments remains unclear. In recent years, cisplatin plus fluorouracil (PF) has become a standard induction chemotherapy combination and has been shown to significantly prolong survival. The TAX 324 trial was designed to establish whether the addition of docetaxel to initial chemotherapy with cisplatin and fluorouracil (PF) might help patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer live longer. Between May 1999 and December 2003, 501 patients were recruited from 55 centres across the USA, Canada, Argentina, and Europe. In 2007, initial results (minimum follow-up 2 years) showed that induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (TPF) significantly improved survival compared with PF. To establish the durability of this survival benefit, Jochen Lorch from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA and colleagues evaluated the long-term follow-up of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-01-13T17:08:13-07:00January, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Induction chemotherapy for head and neck cancer: recent data

Source: The Oncologist By: Everett E. Vokes The addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) patients improves survival. Meta-analyses of randomized trials have indicated that the benefit of this approach is associated with the timing of chemotherapy administration. It has been demonstrated that the greatest survival benefit over locoregional treatment alone is seen with the concurrent administration of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, sequential chemotherapy administration, in the form of induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy, has been successful as a strategy for organ function preservation in patients with potentially resectable SCCHN. In addition, a meta-analysis of trials using platinum and 5-fluorouracil (PF)-containing induction regimens demonstrated a significant survival benefit for this approach over locoregional treatment alone in locally advanced disease. In recent years, the introduction of the taxanes into induction chemotherapy has provided physicians with more active regimens. The triplet combination induction regimen of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil has been shown to be more effective in prolonging survival than the doublet PF. Current trials are testing whether the addition of induction chemotherapy to standard concomitant chemoradiotherapy is superior to concomitant chemoradiotherapy alone.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-11-07T08:24:33-07:00November, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Docetaxel suppresses invasiveness of head and neck cancer cells in vitro

Source: Cancer Sci, February 22, 2010 Author: Y Kogashiwa et al. The combination of docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil significantly enhances the survival of head and neck cancer patients compared to cisplatin and fluorouracil. We hypothesized that docetaxel may affect invasiveness of the head and neck cancer cells in addition to its tumor-killing effect. Two different head and neck cancer cell lines (HEp-2 and Ca9-22) were treated with docetaxel at IC(10) and IC(50) concentrations. Cell migration and invasive growth was evaluated by wound healing assay and three-dimensional (3D) culture of multicellular tumor spheroids, respectively. Expression levels of possible downstream effectors for cell migration/invasiveness were measured by immunoblotting in conditions with or without docetaxel. Docetaxel, but not cisplatin, suppressed filopodia formation compared with no treatment (control) condition. Consistent with this, docetaxel suppressed two-dimensional (2D) cell migration and 3D cell invasion compared with control or cisplatin. Only docetaxel treated cells exhibited thick tubulin bundle and had lower activity of Cdc42, a member of the Rho family of small GTPases. In conclusion, Docetaxel treatment suppressed migration and invasiveness of head and neck cancer cells in vitro, which is likely to be mediated by regulating Cdc42 activity. Authors: Y Kogashiwa, H Sakurai, T Kimura, and N Kohno Authors' affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-04-06T11:22:56-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Oropharyngeal cancer, human papilloma virus, and clinical trials

Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 28, No 1 (January 1), 2010: pp. 1-3 Author: Danny Rischin As advances in our understanding of the molecular biology of cancer have evolved in recent years, cancers that were once considered to be relatively homogeneous diseases are now being recognized as comprising distinct subtypes. These subtypes may differ in etiology, molecular profile, sensitivity to treatment, and prognosis. Examples include luminal (mainly estrogen receptor–positive), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive, and basal breast cancer subtypes1; non–small-cell lung cancer associated with EGFR2 or EML4-ALK3 mutations; and melanoma associated with BRAF (V600E)4 or c-KIT mutations.5 In head and neck cancer, we have traditionally combined squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx in clinical trials. This has been justified on the basis of similar etiology (tobacco and alcohol) and similar sensitivity to radiotherapy and systemic therapy. However, it has also been recognized that there are differences in clinical behavior, treatment outcome, and prognosis with regard to primary site. Although surgery has remained the primary treatment for oral cavity cancers, organ preservation with primary chemoradiotherapy has been widely used over the last two decades for cancers of the oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx. It has become apparent over this same time period that a new subtype of oropharyngeal cancer resulting from human papilloma virus (HPV) has emerged.6 The proportion of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer has steadily increased, and in many countries, this subtype now represents the majority of new oropharyngeal cancers.7,8 HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer differs from [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-12-30T13:03:03-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Induction with Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and 5-FU provides survival benefits beyond 5 years in head and neck cancer

Source: www.docguide.com/news Author: Chris Berrie Induction with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) provides sustained significant survival advantages beyond 5 years compared with cisplatin and 5-FU in patients with locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. Jochen Lorch, MD, Head and Neck Oncology Programme, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, presented a 5-year follow-up analysis of the multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 Cisplatin and Fluorouracil Alone or With Docetaxel in Head and Neck Cancer (TAX 324) at the joint 15th Congress of the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO) and 34th Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). The benefits of docetaxel in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (TPF) was shown in the original TAX 324 and TAX 323 studies. Results of the follow-up were presented here on September 22. TAX 324 included 501 patients with measurable, nonmetastatic stages III and IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, with a primary tumour location in the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx or hypopharynx, and unresectable disease. A World Health Organization (WHO) performance status (PS) of 0/1 and no prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy were also specified. Patients were randomised to induction therapy of TPF (n = 255) or cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (PF) on days 1 to 4, every 3 weeks for 3 cycles (n = 246). The induction treatments were followed by chemoradiotherapy with carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 1.5, weekly and daily radiotherapy (5 days/week). In the original study, there was a significant 13% improvement [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-25T04:48:30-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy increased time-to-treatment failure compared to chemoradiotherapy alone in patients with unresectable locally advanced head & neck cancer

Source: news.prnewswire.com Author: press release The Spanish Head and Neck Cancer Cooperative Group (TTCC) announced today that Induction Chemotherapy (IC) delivered prior to standard ChemoRadiotherapy (CRT), a treatment paradigm defined as sequential therapy, compared to upfront CRT alone, significantly prolonged Time-to-Treatment Failure (TTF) for patients with unresectable Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer (LAHNC). The endpoint of Time-to-Treatment Failure was defined as a composite of time-to-disease progression, -to-surgery or other cancer-related treatments, -to-drop-out due to an adverse event, and to death from any cause. Final results (abstract #6009) from the Phase 3 randomized study were presented by Prof. Ricardo Hitt, of the University Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, in an oral presentation at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The results of this study have also been selected for inclusion in the Best of ASCO(R) program. The Best of ASCO(R) is an educational initiative that condenses highlights from ASCO's Annual Meeting, with the objective of increasing global access to cutting-edge science that is relevant and significant in oncology today. This study enrolled 439 patients with Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer with good performance status, who were randomly assigned to receive standard CRT (cisplatin and fractionated radiation) versus the same treatment preceded by IC, which consisted of cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with or without Taxotere(R) (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate. The study was designed to compare the results of those patients who received IC prior to CRT (sequential therapy) and patients who received CRT alone. The [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-05-31T17:51:31-07:00May, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

New treatment combination proves safe for head and neck cancer patients

Source: www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases Author: press release Patients undergoing treatment for advanced head and neck cancers may respond well to the addition of gefinitib to chemotherapy, according to a study sponsored by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and chaired by Ethan Argiris, M.D., associate professor of medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and co-leader of the Head and Neck Cancer Program of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI). The results will be disclosed at the 45th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on May 30 in Orlando, Fla. "We found that adding gefinitib to standard chemotherapy was well-tolerated by patients who had already received chemotherapy or were frail," said Dr. Argiris. "We had hoped this study would improve the survival rate of patients, but while gefinitib did postpone spread of the disease, it did not increase survival rates. The finding that the addition of gefinitib to chemotherapy can delay the growth of head and neck cancer suggests a potential beneficial effect from combination therapy." One group of 136 patients in the placebo-controlled study received docetaxel alone, a standard treatment for head and neck cancer. A second group of 134 patients received gefinitib in addition to docetaxel. This was the first phase III randomized trial to examine the addition of gefinitib to chemotherapy for patients with head and neck cancer. Gefinitib, which also is known by the trade name Iressa, is a targeted therapy against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with fewer side effects than traditional [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-05-31T17:41:24-07:00May, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Combination of chemo and common virus continues to show remarkable results in advanced cancer patients

Source: www.newswise.com Author: press release Chemotherapy—as any cancer patient will tell you—is not for the faint of heart, but it can kill many forms of cancer. Some form of chemotherapy, originally discovered as a cancer treatment almost seventy years ago, is still routinely prescribed for most types of the disease. The treatment works by targeting fast-growing cells, like those typically found in rapidly growing tumors. But while chemotherapy can shrink tumors, they often grow back and become resistant, or refractory to chemotherapy. To combat this resistance, chemotherapy is now often used in combination with other treatments that have different mechanisms for attacking and killing cancer cells. But doctors must be cautious when combining treatments to ensure that the regimen does not become too toxic for patients to tolerate. The goal is to introduce drugs that can be used synergistically with chemotherapy to not only extend life, but to provide cancer patients with good quality of life while undergoing treatment. One such complimentary drug may be Reolysin®, now being developed from the naturally occurring reovirus, by Oncolytics Biotech Inc. The reovirus preferentially replicates in cancer cells with an activated RAS pathway, while sparing normal cells. Approximately two thirds of all cancers have an activated RAS pathway, including most metastatic disease. Viral replication within cancer cells causes them to burst open, releasing more virus to infect other cells. Reolysin is demonstrating impressive results in clinical trials on its own, but particularly in combination with certain chemotherapeutics. Recently, Oncolytics announced positive results from [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-04-04T05:44:15-07:00April, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Virus accomplice helps drugs fight cancer

Source: www.newscientist.com Author: Andy Coghlan A virus that harmlessly infects most people at some time in their lives appears to help anti-cancer drugs destroy tumours, or at least keep them in check. Known as a reovirus, it destroys tumour cells because they lack the cellular machinery that keeps the virus in check in healthy cells. Results released last week from two studies in which patients with head and neck cancer were injected with the virus alongside anti-cancer drugs reveal that cancers either stopped growing or shrank in almost all recipients. Furthermore, the patients had cancers that had become resistant to all existing therapies. "Some patients had very aggressive tumour shrinkage of as much as 95%," says Brad Thompson, CEO of Canadian company Oncolytics Biotech, which has been developing the virus as a product called Reolysin. In one trial, led by Kevin Harrington at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, 8 out of 9 patients responded positively after the virus plus two standard anti-cancer drugs, paclitaxel and carboplatin, had been infused into their bloodstream. In four, tumours stopped growing, and in another four, tumours shrank dramatically. In the other trial, also near London at the Royal Surrey Hospital, 9 out of 11 patients responded well after receiving the virus plus the anti-cancer drug docetaxel. Genetic flaw Taken together, the results suggest the virus does help in some way. "Usually, only 10% of patients respond when the cancer comes back and they're having their second course of treatment," says Thompson. The virus [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-11-07T14:05:54-07:00November, 2008|Oral Cancer News|