Jim Hughes A National Cancer Institute team led by Paul Meltzer recently published a paper in Science and Translational Medicine entitled, “Recurrent epimutation of SDHC in gastrointestinal stromal tumors.” The findings have some potential implications [...]
ASCO was held again this year in Chicago. Over 32,000 medical professionals and exhibitors participated in what has become an international event. 53% of attendees now come from outside the US. It helps to know [...]
The phase III dose escalation study intended to answer questions about Gleevec blood levels has halted recruitment after failing to meet accrual goals, having recruited only five first-line GIST patients in 14 months. Informal discussions with Novartis Pharmaceuticals, the Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC) and the trial investigators provided some insight into the reasons for the change in status.
The heat shock chaperone protein (HSP-90) has emerged as a promising target for cancer therapy. Infinity Pharmaceuticals’ IPI-504 is one of many experimental heat shock protein inhibitors vying for a spot in the cancer market. [...]
More Placebo Clinical Trials Predicted for Cancer Patients. After the controversy created by the use of a placebo in an early clinical trial for GIST patients, we hoped this issue would have gone away. Last year [...]
SU11248 is similar to Gleevec in the way it works. It is a small molecule inhibitor of the receptor tyrosine kinases PDGFRA, VEGFR, KIT and FLT3. For patients with KIT or PDGFRA mutations, the main targets of this drug are still KIT and PDGRFA. SU11248 also inhibits VEGFR. This provides an anti-angiogenic effect in addition to the primary anti-tumor effect. All tumors need new blood vessels (angiogenesis) in order for tumor growth to occur; treatments that block the growth of these new blood vessels are called “anti-angiogenesis” treatments.
It’s probably helpful to describe the decision-making process that led to our position regarding the use of a placebo. We are a diverse group of GIST patients, families and friends in about 30 countries.
