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Cancer Experts Strive For New Treatment Developments

Posted on: Friday, 29 May 2009, 16:09 CDT

U.S. cancer experts are going to focus on new developments in making treatment even more personalized, right down to the molecular level at their main annual gathering this weekend.

"We have a theme at the meeting this year: personalizing cancer care, ranging from using molecular analysis to select the most appropriate treatment for patients through developing personalized survivalship care plans for cancer survivors," said Richard Schilsky, president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which is holding its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.

About 13 percent of deaths worldwide are because of cancer.  At the gathering opening Friday, which will run through June 2, there will be results from dozens of clinical studies released.  About 30,000 people will be expected to take part.

"I think it's clear to all of us who are treating cancer patients that oncology is no longer one-sided; it's all medicine," Schilsky said, noting that great strides had been made in selecting the best treatments for a given patient.

"We are increasingly able to tailor treatment to an individual," such as their particular tumor biology, "matching the right treatment to the right patient at the right time allowing patients to avoid unnecessary cost and side effects from therapy that won't help them," Schilsky stressed. "It's very clear to me that is the future of cancer medicine."

Eric Winer, a Harvard University professor associated with the group, said that in total, 4,000 research works were accepted by ASCO on a broad range of topics in oncology.

Seven press conferences have been scheduled.  Two of them are scheduled for Saturday to show the results of gastrointestinal tumors and advanced lung cancer research.

Two more are scheduled for Sunday to talk about the results of breast cancer and ovarian cancer research, and also personalized treatment plans.

Experts will discuss on Monday strides made in cancer care, as well as challenges facing oncology.

Phase two trial results on Nexavar, made by Germany's Bayer for advanced lung cancer treatment, are among the clinical results due out.

Nexavar already is marked in over 70 countries as a liver cancer treatment.  It works by blocking the growth of blood vessels that feed on tumors, leading to the death of some cancer cells.

Avastin, a breast cancer treatment by U.S. firm Genetech, are part of the results that are being awaited with interest.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is a leading cause of death in the world, blamed for 7.4 million deaths in 2004.  Among the deadliest cancers are lung, stomach, colon, liver and breast cancer.

The WHO says that close to 30 percent of deaths could be avoid and smoking is the biggest lifestyle risk.

Cancer starts by the modification of a single cell, and can be caused by external, generic or hereditary factors, or a combination of these.

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On the Net:

• American Society of Clinical Oncology

Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports

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