Mesothelioma Cancer

A growing number of women with cancer in one breast choose to have their other, healthy breast removed in hopes it will prevent a second cancer. But new research finds that elective surgery improved survival in only a small group of women — those who are under 50 and are in the early stages of a type of breast cancer known as estrogen receptor-negative cancer…. Read more…

NEWTON, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Novelos Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: NVLT – News), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics to treat cancer and hepatitis, today announced that the primary endpoint of improvement in overall survival was not met in Novelos’ pivotal Phase 3 trial in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) studying its lead product, NOV-002, in combination with first-line chemotherapy. Detailed trial results are expected to be presented via appropriate scientific venue later this year.

This randomized, controlled, open-label Phase 3 trial, conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) and Fast Track designation, had enrolled 903 patients with Stage IIIb/IV NSCLC, which includes all histological subtypes. The trial, conducted across approximately 100 clinical sites in 12 countries, evaluated NOV-002 in combination with first-line paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy versus paclitaxel and carboplatin alone. The primary efficacy endpoint of the trial was improvement in overall survival. Enrollment commenced in November 2006, target enrollment was achieved in March 2008, and the 725 event (patient death) was announced in early January 2010. According to the trial’s Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP), a total of 725 events were required to detect a 25% improvement (12.5 months versus 10 months) in overall median survival (hazard ratio of 0.8) with 85% power and a two-sided significance level of 0.05. No interim analysis was performed.

“We are very disappointed that our pivotal Phase 3 lung cancer trial did not meet the primary survival endpoint,” said Harry Palmin, President and CEO of Novelos. “We were hopeful of a positive outcome based on our statistical model simulations and stated assumptions. In retrospect, it appears our simulations were inaccurate due to trial data deviating from our statistical model, the impact of censoring patterns, and control arm survival exceeding our expectations based on historical precedents. We will conduct a thorough analysis of all the data, and expect to present detailed Phase 3 lung cancer trial results later this year. Meanwhile, we are scheduled to present new NOV-002 preclinical data at the AACR Annual Meeting in April 2010, and we are on track for results from a NOV-002 Phase 2 breast cancer trial in 3Q 2010. We are also on track to initiate a Phase 2 hepatitis C trial shortly, with our second compound NOV-205.”…. Read more…

Adverse events in childhood have been linked to an increase in the likelihood of developing lung cancer in later life. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Public Health describe how the link is partly explained by raised rates of cigarette smoking in victims of childhood trauma, but note that other factors may also be to blame.

David Brown and Robert Anda, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA, worked with a team of researchers to study the effects of abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), witnessing domestic violence, parental separation, or growing up in a household where people were mentally ill, substance abusers, or sent to prison. He said, “Adverse childhood experiences were associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, particularly premature death from lung cancer. Although smoking behaviours, including early smoking initiation and heavy smoking, account for the greater part of this risk, other mechanisms or pathophysiologic pathways may be involved”.

Adverse event information was collected from 17,337 people between 1995 and 1997. Brown and his colleagues followed up on the medical records of these same people to study lung cancer rates in 2005. According to Brown, “Compared to those who claimed no childhood trauma, people who experienced six or more traumas were about three times more likely to have lung cancer, identified either through hospitalization records or mortality records. Of the people who developed, or died of, lung cancer, those with six or more adverse events in childhood were roughly 13 years younger at presentation than those with none. People who had experienced more adverse events in childhood showed more smoking behaviors”.

The central message of this study is that our children can be faced with a terrible burden of stressors. These stressors are associated with harmful behaviours, such as smoking, that may lead the development of diseases like lung cancer and perhaps death at younger ages. Reducing the burden of adverse childhood experiences should therefore be considered in health and social programs as a means of primary prevention of lung cancer and other smoking-related diseases.

Source: BioMed Central Limited

Recently, Celgene Corporation (NasdaqGS: CELG – News) completed the acquisition of the privately held Gloucester Pharmaceuticals for $340 million in cash coupled with $300 million in future milestone payments. The deal is aimed at bolstering Celgene’s portfolio of cancer drugs. The deal is expected to be neutral to Celgene’s earnings in 2010 and accretive in 2011…. Read more…

Actor Michael C. Hall, who plays a serial killer in the TV seriesDexter,said this week that he has been battling cancer but the treatment is almost finished and the disease is in remission…. Read more…

Showtime’s Nick Charles, the blow-by-blow announcer on “ShoBox: The New Generation” since the series’ inception in 2001, is returning to ringside after battling bladder cancer since August, the network announced.

Charles was diagnosed with stage IV urothelial carcinoma over the summer but announced Friday that he is 80 percent in remission and that his doctors have given him the go-ahead to resume working.

He will be back on the air for the Jan. 29 “ShoBox,” which is will be headlined by bantamweight prospect Chris Avalos facing Jose Nieves at the Tingley Auditorium in Albuquerque, N.M., working with analysts Steve Farhood and Antonio Tarver. Charles turns 64 the following day.

“I never really lost hope and faith that I’d be back on ‘ShoBox’ working with the finest people I know professionally and personally,” Charles said. “The boxing community has been overwhelmingly supportive. Their inspiration has moved me deeply. As important to me though are the fans of ‘ShoBox’ who have expressed to me beyond all expectations their concern and encouragement through a difficult illness.”

During Charles’ absence, Al Bernstein, who pulled double duty while also working as an analyst on “Showtime Championship Boxing,” and Curt Menefee filled in.

“We are thrilled to announce the return of Nick Charles to ‘ShoBox,’” said Showtime’s Ken Hershman, who heads the network’s sports division. “Nick is one of the great guys in our business. His strength and perseverance through this ordeal has inspired all of us. We continue to offer our support and love and we look forward to Jan. 29 when Nick returns to the mic.”

Charles, who was treated at University of Texas M.S. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, has been off “ShoBox” since July 31, although Top Rank hired him to call the international telecast of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight on Nov. 14…. Read more…

A Greencastle breast cancer survivor reveals how her Christian faith helped her get through the journey of her cancer diagnosis and treatment in her recently published book, “He Provides the Shoes: Walking with God Through Breast Cancer.”

Karen Holmes was 43 when she was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer in February 2006.

“With no family history of the disease and a healthy lifestyle — including regular exercise and a healthy diet low in saturated fat — I was very surprised about my cancer diagnosis,” said Holmes who is the mother of young daughters and had worked as a nurse. Her husband, Dr. Brian Holmes, is a neurosurgeon.

The book is a detailed journal of her two years of cancer treatments. She had a lumpectomy followed by four months of potent chemotherapy and then a year of less toxic chemotherapy that included the drug Herceptin, which is designed for those who are HER-2 positive (25 percent of breast cancer victims are HER-2 positive).

An evangelical Christian, Holmes kept a journal of what she was feeling during those two years. It included her relationship with Jesus Christ, her Protestant faith and her family.

Holmes’ experiences with breast cancer helped her realize how much she needs God.

“When you’re frightened and caught off guard, God will walk with you every step of the way,” the author said.

and try to encourage others, too,” she said….. Read more…

Bionovo, Inc announced the publication of their results from its phase-1B clinical trial of Bezielle (BZL101) for metastatic breast cancer. The results of the study are available online in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment and demonstrate that Bezielle continues to be safe and well tolerated with clinical evidence of anticancer activity in a heavily pretreated population of women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Preliminary results from this study were released previously by the Company.

The purpose of the phase-1B clinical trial was to identify the maximum tolerated dose of Bezielle and to determine the safety and feasibility of the company’s novel, oral, anticancer treatment. A total of 27 women with late stage breast cancer were enrolled to the phase-1B trial. The 27 enrolled women had failed an average of six prior therapies since diagnosis with metastatic breast disease and expected survival pre-trial was 90-120 days. To date, a total of 48 women with advanced breast cancer have been treated with Bezielle in two early phase clinical trials.

“We are encouraged by the results of the Company’s second phase-1 trial in women with advanced breast cancer and feel the oncology community is equally enthusiastic about Bezielle as our manuscript was accepted by the most widely read breast cancer specific peer reviewed journal in two days,” said Mary Tagliaferri, president and chief medical officer of Bionovo. “There are currently over 160,000 women in the United States living with advanced breast cancer who are eagerly awaiting an oral anticancer drug that can extend life without profoundly diminishing quality of life. We believe Bezielle will be an important new anticancer agent because its biological selectivity allows the drug to kill cancer cells without affecting normal cells resulting in dramatically fewer side effects.”

“In the age of sequential monotherapy as the treatment approach for women with metastatic breast cancer, Bezielle is one of the most exciting new therapies under investigation today,” said Banu Arun, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas, Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. “At our center, where over 3,000 women are newly diagnosed with breast cancer each year, there is great patient demand for oral drugs with minimal toxicities for the treatment of any stage breast cancer. Bezielle is the exact type of drug our patients are seeking and the favorable clinical results in Bionovo’s two early stage clinical trials among a heavily pretreated patient population are extremely encouraging.”

“While safety and maximum tolerability were the primary endpoints of this second phase 1 trial, Bezielle demonstrated promising clinical efficacy in both phase 1 trials affording some women with long periods of stable disease without dramatically altering their day to day quality of life, which is a significant advancement,” said Alejandra Perez, director of the Breast Cancer Center at the Memorial Regional Hospital Cancer Institute, Hollywood, Florida….

Read more…

A man and a teenager who kicked a terminally ill cancer sufferer to death in Suffolk have been jailed for life.

Father-of-three John Vry, 55, suffered a “horrific and sustained” attack in an alleyway in Lowestoft in December 2008, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

James Killingback, 23, of Denmark Road, Lowestoft, was sentenced on Thursday to a minimum of 19 years in prison.

Aaron Breffitt, 17, of no fixed address, must serve a minimum of 12 years.

Mr Cry was confronted when he left his family home to buy chips and died in hospital from serious head injuries, prosecutor Karim Khalil told the court.

He had been told during the summer of 2008 he had between three and six months to live because of his illness…. Read more…