Expert review of anticancer therapy
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Jan 2015
ReviewNivolumab and pembrolizumab as immune-modulating monoclonal antibodies targeting the PD-1 receptor to treat melanoma.
Malignant melanoma is an important issue in oncology due to its high incidence, high mortality, and resistance to systemic therapy; however, targeted immunotherapy has noticeably improved the survival rates of melanoma patients. Promising targeted immunotherapies for malignant melanoma include the blockade of immune checkpoints with antibodies targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 and the programmed cell death protein 1 pathway. The US FDA-approved antibody ipilimumab targets cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4; however, it was limited by toxicity and a low response. Nivolumab and pembrolizumab (formerly lambrolizumab), the two FDA-approved anti-programmed death-1 monoclonal antibodies, show highly durable response rates and long-term safety, validating the importance of the programmed cell death protein 1 pathway blockade for treatment of malignant melanoma.
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Jan 2015
ReviewAdvanced dual-energy CT for head and neck cancer imaging.
Dual energy computed tomography (DECT) is an advanced form of computed tomography (CT) in which simultaneous or near-simultaneous acquisitions are performed at two different peak energy levels, enabling material density and spectral attenuation characterization beyond what is possible with conventional CT scans. This article is a review of the current applications of DECT for the evaluation of head and neck cancer. ⋯ This will be followed by a review of the use of different DECT reconstructions for improving head and neck squamous cell carcinoma visualization, evaluation of tumor extent, and invasion of critical structures. The article will conclude with a brief review of other emerging applications of DECT for evaluation of different head and neck cancers and advanced tumor analysis.
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Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) have an established role in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). First-generation reversible ATP-competitive EGFR-TKIs are approved for the initial treatment of patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC. ⋯ Based on these results, afatinib was recently approved for the first-line treatment of NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation. This article summarizes current status of preclinical and clinical development of afatinib in NSCLC.
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Nov 2014
Editorial'Charting a new course for prostate cancer' - currying favor for docetaxel in hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer.
Docetaxel has an established role in the treatment of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. A number of recent treatments have been shown to improve the survival outcomes for this group of patients and many with improved toxicity profiles, bringing the role of docetaxel into question. We discuss the results and implications of the CHAARTED study that demonstrated a significant improvement in overall survival with docetaxel in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Oct 2014
ReviewHepatocellular carcinoma: systemic therapies and future perspectives.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is (HCC) the most common primary malignancy of the liver in adults. It is also the fifth most common solid cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. ⋯ Given the projected increase in incidence of HCC due to hepatitis C virus infection and obesity related cirrhosis, there is an urgent need for more intensive research in this cancer. In this article, we review the systemic options available for patients with HCC, its molecular pathogenesis and future therapeutic directions with special emphasis on immune-based and molecularly-targeted therapy.