Articles

A review of 34,000 patients with cancer in an insurance claims database showed that during the first 12 months after the diagnosis of cancer, the overall cost of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) was approximately $100,000 per patient, reported Duke University researchers at the 2012 European Society for Medical Oncology.

Vienna, Austria—Promising preliminary results for 2 novel prostate can-cer drugs—ODM-201 and OGX-427—were reported at the 2012 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress. Both drugs were studied for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

It has been suggested in previous studies that soy isoflavones have anticancer properties; however, it is also known that soy-based foods possess estrogen-like properties and can therefore present complications rather than benefits for patients with breast cancer, potentially even playing a role in the genesis of breast cancer or its progression. Now 2 new studies indicate that daily consumption of soy-based foods may confer benefits for patients with breast cancer.

A recent analysis of previously published data indicates that adding cetuximab to first-line therapy benefits patients with the KRAS G13D mutation (Tejpar S, et al. J Clin Oncol. 2012;30:3570-3577).

In this phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, enzalutamide significantly prolonged survival in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after standard chemotherapy (Scher HI, et al. N Engl J Med. 2012;367:1187-1197).

The FDA accelerated the approval of vincristine sulfate liposome injection (Marqibo; Talon Therapeutics) for the treatment of patients with Philadelphia chromosome–negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a rare type of leukemia, with a second or greater relapse after treatment with ≥2 antileukemia therapies. The drug is designated as an orphan product.

The FDA approved tbo-filgrastim (Neutro­val; Sicor Biotech UAB, a member of Teva Corporation) to reduce the duration of severe neutropenia in pa­tients with cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Using its priority review process, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the oral multikinase inhibitor regorafenib (Stivarga; Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

San Francisco, CA—The indirect costs of metastatic breast cancer are substantial and are much higher than the costs of early breast cancer, according to what may be the first study to compare costs related to lost productivity in the population with breast cancer.

Houston, TX—Despite much talk about biomarkers and a field that is exploding, only a few biomarkers can be reliably and routinely used to improve patient care at this time, according to Peter G. Ellis, MD, Deputy Director of Clinical Services, Associate Chief Medical Officer, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Cancer Centers.