IBTA
E NEWS SEPTEMBER 2012
Dear Friend
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Fasting
and therapy for brain tumours: In an Open Access study
appearing in PLOS One researchers
have identified
a beneficial role for controlled starving (fasting) in the sensitisation of
rat, mouse and human cells to radiation therapy and chemotherapy (TMZ). A
corresponding author Professor Valter Longo commented that patients should consult with their oncologist before undertaking
any fasting: "You want to balance the risks. You have to do it right. But
if the conditions are such that you've run out of options, short-term fasting
may represent an important possibility for patients."
Brain
metastases:
A Cochrane review of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) alone versus WBRT and
radiosurgery for the treatment of brain metastases concluded
that their "Analysis of all included patients, SRS plus WBRT, did not show
a survival benefit over WBRT alone. However, performance status and local
control were significantly better in the SRS plus WBRT group. Furthermore,
significantly longer OS was reported in the combined treatment group for
recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) Class I patients as well as patients with
single metastasis."
Blue
asbestos and brain tumours: A study
of people who were exposed to blue asbestos in childhood in Western Australia
has found that both males and females have elevated numbers of brain cancers compared
with the general population of that State.
Improved
nanoparticles: Researchers at Johns
Hopkins (USA) have found
a way to improve the inflitration of nanoparticles into the brain by coating nano-sized
plastic beads with PEG (poly (ethylene glycol). Their next step is to slow
tumour growth or recurrence in rodents.
Green
tea and cognitive function: Chinese researchers have found
that a key property of green tea (EGCG epigallocatechin-3 gallate)
can improve cognitive function by impacting the generation of neuron cells. You
can access the full article here.
Depleting
miR-138 and glioblastoma:
Singaporean researchers in collaboration with Austrian researchers have shown
that using antimiR-138 on mouse models could halt the progression of glioblastoma tumours and reduce the likelihood of a relapse.
Childhood
cancer: On 31 August the US President Barack Obama proclaimed
September 2012 as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
US
Home Depot and brain tumour employee: A Home Depot store in
Maryland has lost a $100,000 lawsuit
after the store fired a longtime cashier while she
was on unpaid leave to have a brain tumor removed.
AZD7451: US
researchers will be initiating
a Phase 1 trial of AZD7451, which is a Tropomyosin-Receptor
Kinase (TRK) Inhibitor. They will be studying the
effect of the drug on the invasiveness of glioblastoma
in patients who have not responded to standard postoperative therapy or whose
tumour has progressed.
PNET
and Folic Acid fortification: A study
of childhood cancer incidence trends in association with the US FDA's mandated fortification of foods with folic acid has
indicated a possible connection between reduced primitive neuroectodermal
tumor (PNET) rates and a 1992 recommendation that women
of childbearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. See also here.
Northwest
Biotherapeutics: Northwest Biotherapeutics has obtained approval from the UK
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for its Phase III
clinical trial of DCVax-L immune therapy to proceed
in the UK.
BiCNU (Carmustine)
and BMS: Bristol-Myers Squibb is recalling
31,000 units of BiCNU, an injectable
version of the drug carmustine, after discovering one
vial was overfilled. The recall affects products sold in the US, Canada,
Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Carmustine is
used to treat brain tumours.
Afinitor Disperz: The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved
the Novartis therapy Afinitor Disperz
(everolimus tablets for oral suspension), a new pediatric dosage form of the anti-cancer drug Afinitor (everolimus) used to
treat a rare brain tumor called subependymal
giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA). Afinitor
Disperz is the first approved pediatric-specific
dosage form developed for the treatment of a pediatric
tumor.
Hong
Kong: A Hong Kong charity, St James Settlement, will provide
subsidies of up to HK$56,000 each to 25 patients who have a glioblastoma
brain tumour and cannot access temozolomide through
the Hospital Authority.
Deadline: The
deadline for the lowest
registration rates for the Society for Neuro-Oncology
Conference in Washington in November is 15 October.
Crowdfunding: Crowdfunding
is a way of utilising digital connections to raise funds for various projects,
usually of an entrepreneurial nature. While we are unlikely to see it used to
raise funds for drug discovery a group of US-based video game designers are using the method to try and
cover the anticipated treatment costs for an uninsured colleague who has a glioblastoma brain tumour.
European
readers only: In the July 2012 issue of the IBTA e-news, we mentioned the Rare Cancers
Europe (RCE) survey about access to rare cancer care in Europe. The deadline
for completing the survey has now been extended to 31 October 2012. We
would be grateful if readers of the IBTA e-news living in the EU 27 countries could complete this survey which is
being conducted with the assistance of the Swedish Institute for Health
Economics. Here is the link to the survey: https://sv.surveymonkey.com/s/rarecancers
Correction: It
has been pointed out to us that the large (71,793 person) Patient Experience
Survey, reported in the August issue of the IBTA E-News, which showed poor
results for brain tumour patients, encompassed the views of patients only in
the UK and not Scottish or Welsh patients.
Thank you for your continuing support.
Denis Strangman (Chair and
Co-Director)
International Brain Tumour Alliance IBTA
www.theibta.org
Kathy Oliver (Co-Director)
PO Box 244, Tadworth, Surrey
KT20 5WQ, United Kingdom
Tel:+ (44) + (0) + 1737 813872
Fax: + (44) + (0) +1737 812712
Mob: + (44) + (0) + 777 571 2569
The International Brain Tumour Alliance is a not-for-profit, limited liability
company registered in England and Wales, registered number 6031485.
Registered office: Roxburghe House, 273-287 Regent
Street, London W1B 2AD, United Kingdom. All correspondence should be sent
to the Co-Director's address above, not to the registered office.
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