February 2015

Research into anticancer vaccines is moving forward on several fronts.

With the advent of safer and more effective treatments, early diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM) has become an important goal.

The only therapeutic cancer vaccine ever to win approval from the FDA has repeatedly missed sales projections, plunging the company that developed it into bankruptcy proceedings.

Although there is a significant scientific rationale for targeting the PI3K pathway in breast cancer, research findings presented recently at the 2014 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) highlight the inherent complexities in using agents directed at this cell-signaling network.

Amid continuing excitement over the potential for PD-1 pathway immune checkpoint blockade strategies in anticancer therapies, research presented at the 2014 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting helped established a foundation for the use of anti- PD-1/PD-L1 agents in hematologic malignancies.

Although there clearly are a number of worthy candidates for the single most influential event that unequivocally proclaimed the beginning of the modern era of precision cancer medicine, there would surely be many votes for the impact of imatinib on the course of the natural history of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Ten or 15 years ago, a diagnosis of advanced non– small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) led directly to a discussion of chemotherapy.

Coping with challenges is part of the human condition, but self-awareness can have far-reaching results. Just ask Edith A. Perez, MD, about her experience attending medical school.

Surgical intervention is a Machiavellian endeavor: the ends justify the means. This obligates the clinician to minimize the risk of a procedure to justify the gains obtained from an intervention.