A study in 2002 found that the use of proteomic patterns in serum (identifying a pattern of proteins) may help identify ovarian cancer. I wonder why this is the first time I am reading about it and think I will need to do more research to find why this hasn't become a standard screening methodology. The results of the 20o2 study were able to screen 100% of ovarian cancer carriers and correctly screened 95% of non-ovarian cancer carriers. So what happened to this promising method for screening??
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Identifying Ovarian Cancer with Proteomics
After getting a pelvic ultrasound this morning and the subsequent paranoia that I have, I did some surfing to read more about ovaries and ovary size, etc. I ran across a website, OvaryResearch.com and found this very promising information that is new to me. It is especially promising because pelvic ultrasounds are not very good screening tools anyway.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Notes from LBBC Teleconference "Breaking News from 31st Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium"
Speaker: Dr. Kathy Miller
Adjuvant Hormone Therapy
-Increased use of Aromatase Inhibitors -- better survival than Tamoxifen
-Also discussed: OncoDX Score, Big 198 Study
Studies now looking at how women metabolize Tamox and Aromatase inhibitors and seeing if it is possible to choose the therapy based on the enzymes inherited (how well a person metabolizes these). Can hormone therapy be individualized to people?
-Bone health -- aromatase has increased bone loss risk, studies show bisphosphanates are important to administer immediately with aromatase therapy
Adjuvant Chemotherapy (CURE article here)
FinnXx Study -- incorporating Xeloda (capecitabine) -- HER2-, lymph node involvement
NSABP30 Trial & BCROG(?) Trial (gave 6 cycles instead of 4). These trials looked at the TAC (Taxotere, Adriamycin, Cytoxin) regimen and compared dosage, sequence.
Three arms of the trials:
- 4 Adria then 4 tax on 3 week cycle each (sequential arm) -- lower risk of recurrence of all
- 4 A + 4 T
- 4TAC
Summary:
The second trial adminstered 6 doses versus 4. There was no significant difference found between fewer doses, but the sequential arm had the lowest recurrence of all and fewer side effects (probably due to lower dosages of the high toxicity drugs). Conclusion is that the TAC schedule does not offer improved outcome and TAC should be "retired". Recommendations coming out are to make treatment interval every 2 weeks or taxanes weekly and get rid of the TAC regimen.
HER2+ news
Lapatnib -- benefit for metastatic HER2+
TDM1 (Trastuzumab)
Triple Negative Breast Cancer and Chemotherapy
approval of drug ixabepilone shows benefit for Triple Negative (in combination with Xeloda)
Again, no studies being reported at San Antonio broke out pre- vs post-menopausal women! Argh!
Prescription: 3 Cups of Tea Daily
This article gave me pause today. I joined a Tea-Of-The-Month Club at work last year and haven't been drinking the wonderful tea samples I get every month. Since this article in the 1/23/2009 Telegraph is extolling the evidence that 3 cups of tea a day can reduce breast cancer risk in women under 50, I might just have to force my tea habit!
Ooooh, but I like this article (in the July 7 2008 Telegraph) better. The chemical resveratrol, found in blueberries, cranberries and peanuts that has a tumor suppression property, is also found in the skin of grapes that make red wine! Red wine fights cancer! I'll just drink tea and red wine all day.
Another Punch to the Ovaries
Alright, already, I didn't realize there was so much literature out there about the benefits of oophorectomy for BRCA1/2 carriers. Am I running across this more and more as a sign that I need to hurry up and get this one over with??? The latest article has an innocuous-enough sounding headline, "Surgery can lower cancer risk in high-risk brca1/2 carriers". I should have guessed it would be advocating for ovary-removal. Sigh.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Open Clinical Trials
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
