New genetic techniques to combat lung cancerApril 28, 2008New results on genetic techniques that are helping doctors diagnose and treat lung cancer were released today at the 1st European Lung Cancer Conference jointly organized by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) in Geneva, Switzerland. In one report (Abstract No. 81O; Friday 25th April, 16:30), Israeli researchers from Rosetta Genomics (Nasdaq:ROSG), a biotech company developing microRNA-based technologies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, describe a test that helps make crucial distinctions between types of lung cancer. The researchers show the method can accurately distinguish between squamous and non-squamous forms of non-small-cell lung cancer based on the levels of different microRNA molecules found in tissue samples. MicroRNAs are short RNA molecules that regulate many cancer-related processes. "Recently, with the launch of new targeted therapies for non-squamous, non-small-cell lung cancer, the importance of accurate, objective diagnosis has taken center stage. The ability of physicians to accurately differentiate squamous from non-squamous NSCLC may be used as important treatment guide," said Dr. Maya Gottfried, member of Rosetta Genomics Medical Advisory Board and head of the Lung Cancer Unit at Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, Israel. For example some treatments for non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer can be deadly in patients with the squamous form of the disease. Researchers expect the test to be approved for use during 2008. In another report (Abstract No. 106PD; Friday 25th April, 08:00), Italian researchers show that genetic analysis can help identify patients who are at high risk of relapse after surgery to remove lung cancer. Dr. Guido Natoli from Regina Elena National Cancer Institute in Rome reports that the three-gene 'signature' can help oncologists choose the best drug to treat with. "The results are preliminary, but I think our signature may allow the oncologists to classify patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent curative surgical resection in high or low risk molecular category, beyond conventional predictors," says Dr. Natoli. His group's test includes the gene LCK, which is an important marker of immune cell anticancer activity, DUSP-6 which regulates a signaling pathway involved in cancer spread, and ERCC1, which is thought to be a significant prognostic and therapeutic biomarker in non-small-cell lung cancer. "By gathering these findings we can improve not only the prognostic stratification of patients, but also the choice of the more appropriate adjuvant drug after surgery," Dr. Natoli said. European Society for Medical Oncology |
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| Related Lung Cancer Current Events and Lung Cancer News Articles Study of concurrent radiotherapy, chemotherapy shows promise in small cell lung cancer Treating limited stage small cell lung cancer(LSCL) with a combination of accelerated high-dose radiotherapy and chemotherapy has shown encouraging results. Stereotactic radiotherapy offers noninvasive, effective treatment for frail patients with early-stage lung cancer Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) should be considered a new standard of care for early-stage lung cancer treatment in patients with co-existing medical problems, according to results from a national clinical trial led by UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians. Preventative brain radiation for lung cancer patients: Benefits and risks A new study is taking a closer look at the benefits versus risks for lung cancer patients to undergo preventative brain radiation therapy as a means to stop cancer from spreading to the brain. Study spotlights efficacy of questionnaire to identify patients at high risk for lung cancer A study featured in the November issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology confirms the success of a simple questionnaire designed to identify patients at high risk of lung cancer. Intervals between lung cancer diagnosis and treatment displays a health care disparity Research published in the November 2009 issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology has found that intervals between lung cancer suspicion, diagnosis and treatment may be attributed to health care system discrepancies. Researchers use drug-radiation combo to eradicate lung cancer Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have eliminated non-small cell lung (NSCL) cancer in mice by using an investigative drug called BEZ235 in combination with low-dose radiation. Experts issue call to reconsider screening for breast cancer and prostate cancer Twenty years of screening for breast and prostate cancer - the most diagnosed cancer for women and men - have not brought the anticipated decline in deaths from these diseases, argue experts from the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in an opinion piece published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Detecting the undetectable in prostate cancer screening A team of Northwestern University researchers, using an extremely sensitive tool based on nanotechnology, has detected previously undetectable levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy. New data: Hospital imaging centers poised to pull back, hitting patients hardest in rural areas Survivors and patients with cancers and heart disease, along with patient advocate organizations and physicians, today urged policymakers to enhance early diagnosis of deadly diseases by preserving access to advanced imaging, such as MRI and CT scans, in final health care reform legislation. African American lung cancer patients may have different response to new cancer-fighting drugs Clinical research out of University Hospitals Case Medical Center has found that African Americans with a common form of lung cancer have a lower frequency of drug-sensitizing genetic mutations, which may impact response to new cancer-fighting drugs. More Lung Cancer Current Events and Lung Cancer News Articles |
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