Vol. 17/No. 20 | Oncology Live®

Going for the Gold

November 20, 2016

The gold standard for patients with cancer has long been overall survival, preferably delivered up with statistical significance through a randomized, phase III clinical trial.

Intensified Radiotherapy Emerging as New Standard

October 26, 2016

Radiation therapy can be effectively delivered in more focused, intensive, and shorter-course treatment regimens that offer patients at least equivalent—and in some cases superior—outcomes in several tumor types, thus helping to mitigate challenging adverse effects of standard approaches.

Experts Focus on New Ways of Attacking Resistance in ER+ Breast Cancer

October 26, 2016

Approximately 75% of invasive breast cancers are estrogen receptor (ER)–positive. Although ER-positive breast cancer typically responds well to initial endocrine therapy, most patients eventually become resistant to treatment and experience disease progression.

TP53 Mutations Loom Large in Lung Cancer Study

October 25, 2016

Although there are no drugs that target TP53 mutations in any tumor type, a recent analysis of a non–small cell lung cancer sample set raises the prospect that a more detailed understanding of this aberration eventually could help direct therapy.

Breast Cancer's Complexity Pushes Researchers to Look Beyond the Genome

October 25, 2016

Although breast cancer research has helped chart the course for molecularly targeted therapies in oncology, next-generation sequencing technologies have revealed a disease so highly complex and heterogeneous that translating these findings into clinically useful therapies has proved daunting.

Coffee Conundrum Shows How Trouble Is Brewing in Lifestyle Cancer Research

October 21, 2016

Twenty-five years ago, WHO declared that coffee was a potential carcinogen. Now, the public health agency has reversed course, raising a host of questions about the accuracy and value not only about the original research but also about the recent report.

It's Time to Take Action on Quality Improvement Measures

October 21, 2016

In 2014, under the leadership of UVA Executive Vice President Richard P. Shannon, MD, the Be Safe initiative was developed to deliver the highest-quality of advanced healthcare to patients, and emphasizes 3 main areas.

Indiana University Researchers Find Precision Medicine Improves Outcomes

October 14, 2016

With the growing body of evidence supporting positive outcomes with the use of precision medicine–based approaches, academic cancer centers are increasingly incorporating genomic technology into standard clinical care.

Entinostat Anchors New Combo in HR+ Breast Cancer Study

October 13, 2016

A dual approach to overcoming resistance to endocrine therapy in patients with advanced hormone receptor-positive breast cancer is under investigation in a phase III trial that adds the novel drug entinostat to standard exemestane therapy after disease progression.