Evidence-Based Medicine: Examining the Gap Between Rhetoric and Reality
October 17th 2013In many circumstances, the absence of so-called definitive evidence does not equate with the absence of evidence, just the level required by some to declare an approach to be an acceptable standard-of-care option.
Expanding TKI Therapy in Advanced Lung Cancer
October 9th 2013Amid rapid progress in the treatment of advanced lung cancer, several leading organizations have joined in developing new guidelines for the optimal use of molecular testing to help select patients for therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Researcher Sees Hope for Incorporating IDO inhibitors Into Immunotherapy Protocols
October 7th 2013IDO is a key enzyme in the normal regulation of the host's adaptive immune response. Its role in regulating the immune response was initially demonstrated when pregnant mice were given IDO inhibitors, resulting in the rejection of the unborn fetus by the maternal immune system.
Afatinib Tablets Now Available for Use in Treatment of NSCLC
September 26th 2013Afatinib (Gilotrif) tablets were approved by the FDA on July 15, 2013, as a first-line oral treatment for non– small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations. The oral tablets became commercially available in the United States September 2.
Another Immune Checkpoint Emerges as Anticancer Target
September 24th 2013Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg acknowledged the importance of the immune system in cancer development in 2011, when they added immune evasion to their list of "hallmark" abilities that are essential for the transformation of normal cells into cancerous ones.
Chemotherapy Questions Linger in Early NSCLC
September 23rd 2013The optimal use of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer remains unresolved, with several clinical trials under way in Europe aimed at identifying ways to better select patients for treatment
PAM50 Demonstrates Added Clinical Value in Predicting Recurrence Risk
September 19th 2013The PAM50 test, designed to determine a risk of recurrence score for patients with breast cancer, adds significant prognostic information to clinical decision making and might be superior to other risk assays.