Medscape Conference Coverage, based on selected sessions at the:

14th European Cancer Conference (ECCO 14)

September 23 - 27, 2007; Barcelona, Spain

This activity is not sanctioned by, nor a part of, the European Cancer Conference.

Conference News

Drug With New Mechanism of Action Shows Efficacy in Melanoma

An experimental drug with a novel mechanism of action, the oxidative stress inducer STA-4783 has shown impressive activity in a phase 2 clinical trial in melanoma, and a larger trial is now planned.
Medscape Medical News, October 11, 2007
Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy Reduces Surgery for Melanoma

To avoid unnecessary surgery, melanoma patients should be routinely offered ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy of the lymph nodes to see whether the cancer has spread, says a German group reporting a large study.
Medscape Medical News, October 4, 2007
Irinotecan and Cisplatin Show Rapid Response in Child Brain Gliomas

The best responses seen to date in childhood brain gliomas have been reported by a Spanish group using a combination of cisplatin with irinotecan.
Medscape Medical News, October 3, 2007
KRAS Mutation Predicts Lack of Response to EGFR Inhibitors

The finding that colorectal cancer patients who do not respond to panitumumab or cetuximab have tumors with KRAS mutations is a practice-changing finding, say experts. It will allow these expensive drugs to be targeted to patients without KRAS mutations who are likely to respond.
Medscape Medical News, October 3, 2007
Acupuncture Does Not Reduce Radiotherapy-Induced Nausea

Genuine acupuncture was no better than sham acupuncture at reducing radiation-induced nausea in patients with various types of cancers, even though patients in both groups were convinced they were benefiting.
Medscape Medical News, September 27, 2007
ZD4054 Improves Survival in Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer

The experimental drug ZD4054 improved overall survival compared with placebo in a phase 2 trial in hormone-refractory prostate cancer, and large-scale phase 3 trials are now planned.
Medscape Medical News, September 26, 2007
BRCA1 Expression May Guide Chemotherapy for NSCLC

Spanish research suggests that non–small-cell lung cancer patients with high expression of BRCA1 will not benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy and should be treated with taxanes instead.
Medscape Medical News, September 26, 2007
Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells May Guide Further Chemotherapy

Breast cancer patients who continue to have circulating tumor cells after chemotherapy may be more likely to develop metastases and so may warrant repeat and aggressive chemotherapy, a German study suggests.
Medscape Medical News, September 26, 2007
Trabectedin Is "Important New Option" for Advanced Sarcomas

Just approved in Europe for use in advanced sarcoma patients who have failed first-line chemotherapy, trabectedin has been welcomed by experts as an important new option that meets a significant unmet medical need.
Medscape Medical News, September 25, 2007

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