Cancer
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A clinical assay was implemented to perform next-generation sequencing (NGS) of genes commonly mutated in multiple cancer types. This report describes the feasibility and diagnostic yield of this assay in 381 consecutive patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ NGS-based diagnostics are feasible in NSCLC and provide clinically relevant information from readily available FFPE tissue. The sample type is associated with the probability of successful testing.
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During the last decade, extensive multiplatform genome-wide analysis has yielded a wealth of knowledge regarding the genetic and molecular makeup of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). These profiling studies support the emerging view that GBM comprises a group of highly heterogeneous tumor types, each with its own distinct molecular and genetic signatures. ⋯ To date, however, these expectations have largely been unrealized. This review discusses some of the principal genetic and epigenetic aberrations found in GBM that appear promising for targeted therapies now and in the near future, and it offers suggestions for future directions concerning the rather disappointing results of clinical trials to date.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Results of phase 2 randomized study of low-dose decitabine with or without valproic acid in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia.
Hypomethylating agents have demonstrated activity in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Preclinical and single-arm trials have suggested that adding histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors may synergize the epigenetic modulation of hypomethylating agents and improve treatment results. ⋯ Adding valproic acid to decitabine was not associated with improved outcome in the treatment of patients with MDS or elderly patients with AML. Future therapies may consider combining hypomethylating agents with better HDAC inhibitors and using different schedules.
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Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) is frequently considered in patients with stage II colon cancer who are considered to be at high risk. However, to the authors' knowledge, the survival benefits associated with AC in these patients remain largely unproven. In the current study, the authors sought to examine the use of AC in patients with AJCC stage II colon cancer and to compare the impact of AC on outcomes in patients with high-risk versus low-risk disease in a population-based setting. ⋯ In this population-based analysis, AC was associated with an OS advantage in high-risk patients, most likely due to patient selection. RFS, DSS, and OS benefits were mainly observed in patients with T4 disease, suggesting a limited role for AC in patients deemed to be high risk by non-T4 features.
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Multicenter Study
Phase 2 study of RO4929097, a gamma-secretase inhibitor, in metastatic melanoma: SWOG 0933.
Aberrant Notch activation confers a proliferative advantage to many human tumors, including melanoma. This phase 2 trial assessed the antitumor activity of RO4929097, a gamma-secretase inhibitor of Notch signaling, with respect to the progression-free and overall survival of patients with advanced melanoma. ⋯ RO4929097 showed minimal clinical activity against metastatic melanoma in this phase 2 trial, possibly because of inadequate exposure to therapeutic drug levels. Although Notch inhibition remains a compelling target in melanoma, the results do not support further investigation of RO4929097 with this dose and schedule.