April 2008

Physicians' Financial News focuses on news-making and/or notable companies in the oncology biotechnology sector. In this issue: Sanofi-Aventis: Pushing Forward Pipeline, Products, and Profits OncoGenex Technologies: Prostate Cancer Product Candidate Hits Primary Phase II Endpoint GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Genmab: Potential Leukemia Treatment Shows Positive Response in Dual-Phase Trial Genentech: Avastin Approval Brightens Genentech's Outlook Adherex Technologies, Inc.: ADH-1 Attains Orphan Status Novacea: Potential Advanced Cancer Treatment Clears Key Phase I Hurdles

Topics covered in this issue include: 1. Cost Effectiveness of Extended Letrozole Treatment After Discontinuation of Tamoxifen 2. The Effect of Consumer Cost Sharing on Mammography Rates 3. National Poll: Government Coverage Decision on Anemia Drugs Hurt Patient Outcomes 4. Updated Breast Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines 5. DNA Testing for Disease: Will Insurance Worries Limit Their Value? 6. Women With Breast Cancer Get Lower Pay 7. Lack of Health Insurance Equals Delayed Cancer Diagnoses

Clinical Trial Reports in this issue include: Phase IV: 1) Long-Term Aspirin Therapy Reduces Colorectal Cancer Risk Phase III: 1) Does Adding Cisplatin to Adjuvant Chemotherapy Improve Outcomes in Advanced Gastric Cancer? 2) FOLFIRI Plus Bevacizumab Provides Better Survival Than Other Irinotecan-Containing Regimen in First-Line Colorectal Cancer Phase II: 1) Single-Agent Activity of Sunitinib in Refractory Non������¢���¯���¿���½���¯���¿���½Small Cell Lung Cancer 2) The Importance of Targeting Androgen Receptor Signaling for Prostate Cancer Response Rate 3) Improving Survival in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor 4) Improving Overall Survival in Patients With Hormone- Resistant Prostate Cancer 5) Breast Cancer Stem Cells Decreased With Neoadjuvant Lapatinib Phase I/II: 1) Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma May Benefit From Implant Combinations

Articles in this issue include: 1) Germany: Drop the Syringe, Pick up the Tattooing Needle 2) Israel: Putting Women Under the Spotlight: Higher Frequency of Breast Cancer? 3) Japan: Esophagectomy in Patients Older than Age 75 4) Multiple Sites in Asia: Combination Treatment With Cetuximab for Colorectal Cancer Refractory to Irinotecan 5) Italy: Clinical Benefit of Sorafenib in Patients With Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis C 6) Sweden: Dietary Fiber: Does It Mitigate Breast Cancer Risk? 7) India: Indoor Air Pollution and Cancer Risk in Developing Countries

News reports in this issue include: - Tentative Link Established Between Skin Cancer and Colon Cancer - Aspirin Can Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer, Review of Studies Suggests - Douglas W. Blayney, MD, Elected ASCO President for 2009–2010 Term

Women whose breast cancer recurred after treatment had almost two times as much estrogen in their blood than did women who remained cancer free--despite treatment with anti estrogen drugs in a majority of the women.

The 5th Annual Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers Symposium was held in January in Orlando, Florida. Educational sessions and abstract presentations focused on each type of GI cancer, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach, hepatobiliary tree, pancreas, small bowel, colon, and rectum. Key presentations are summarized below.

In this issue our editors highlight the American Society of Clinical Oncology's 2008 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium held in January in Orlando, FL. As always, our departments provide a range of perspectives for the oncology professional--from Global Reports and Reimbursement and Managed Care to Clinical Trial Reports and Physicians' Financial News.