Annual review of medicine
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The field of cancer immunotherapy has been re-energized by the application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in cancers. These CAR T cells are engineered to express synthetic receptors that redirect polyclonal T cells to surface antigens for subsequent tumor elimination. ⋯ However, this success has yet to be extrapolated to solid tumors, and the reasons for this are being actively investigated. We characterize some of the challenges that CAR T cells have to surmount in the solid tumor microenvironment and new approaches that are being considered to overcome these hurdles.
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With the passage of the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration established an abbreviated pathway for developing and licensing biosimilar and interchangeable biological products. The regulatory framework and the technical requirements of the US biosimilars program involve a stepwise approach that relies heavily on analytical methods to demonstrate through a "totality of the evidence" that a proposed product is biosimilar to its reference product. ⋯ Although questions and concerns about the biosimilars pathway remain and may slow uptake, a robust scientific program has been put in place. With three biosimilars already licensed and numerous development programs under way, clinicians can expect to see many new biosimilars come onto the US market in the coming decade. [Note added in proof: Since the writing of this article, a fourth biosimilar has been approved.].
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The basis of the current treatment of rectal cancer is a radical total mesorectal excision of the rectum, and although this provides excellent oncological control, it is associated with morbidity and functional problems in cancer survivors. Organ-preservation alternatives are local excision alone for very early tumors, chemoradiation followed by either local excision of a small tumor remnant or, when there is a complete clinical response, a nonoperative watch-and-wait approach. ⋯ Although the available studies suggest that with adequate selection and follow-up this risk is small, the evidence is still weak. Because of patients' high interest in preserving quality of life, clinicians should cautiously move ahead and offer the option of organ preservation to patients in a controlled setting while awaiting further evidence.
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Long-term control of viral outbreaks requires the use of vaccines to impart acquired resistance and ensuing protection. In the wake of an epidemic, established immunity against a particular disease can limit spread and significantly decrease mortality. Creation of a safe and efficacious vaccine against Ebola virus (EBOV) has proven elusive so far, but various inventive strategies are now being employed to counteract the threat of outbreaks caused by EBOV and related filoviruses. Here, we present a current overview of progress in the field of Ebola virus vaccine development.
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Annual review of medicine · Jan 2017
ReviewWhy Are There So Many Mastectomies in the United States?
Breast-conserving therapy (BCT) and mastectomy result in equivalent long-term survival. Locoregional recurrence rates after BCT have decreased over time and are now similar to those after mastectomy. Contralateral breast cancer rates are declining as well owing to the widespread use of adjuvant systemic therapy. ⋯ Evidence indicates that increasing use of mastectomy is a patient-driven trend that is most pronounced among younger, educated, and well-insured women, and reflects fear of recurrence and in some cases misunderstanding of future cancer risks. Although satisfaction levels are generally high among patients choosing contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, complications and procedure extent may be underestimated. Improved communication strategies are essential to facilitate this complex decision-making process.