{"title":"Defibrotide – A New Treatment Approach for Severe Veno-occlusive Disease","authors":"Katrina Mountfort, M. Mohty, E. Wallhult","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2015.11.01.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2015.11.01.11","url":null,"abstract":"Touch MEDical MEDia 11 Abstract Severe veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a serious and life-threatening complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), for which the standard of care has until recently been supportive care. VOD is the result of a primary injury to sinusoidal endothelial cells and severe VOD is characterised by sinusoidal narrowing and occlusion, which leads to portal hypertension, multi-organ failure (MOF) and, ultimately, death. Defibrotide regulates multiple pathways involved in the pathological processes underlying VOD and is the first drug to be approved in Europe for the treatment of severe VOD. Defibrotide is indicated for the treatment of severe hepatic VOD in HSCT therapy in adults and infants aged over 1 month. A phase III study found significant increases in complete response (CR) and survival with defibrotide compared with historical controls. These data together with earlier studies and an ongoing expanded access protocol in a large patient cohort demonstrate improved outcomes with defibrotide in severe VOD and highlight the importance of treatment with defibrotide.","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"9 1","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84596976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"New Treatment Options in Mantle Cell Lymphoma","authors":"M. Furtado, S. Rule","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.134","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.134","url":null,"abstract":"Mantle cell lymphoma is an incurable disease that generally exhibits a poor prognosis. Recent advances in targeted therapies have increased the available treatment options, in particular for patients with relapsed disease, and offer the prospect for better long-term disease control and potentially chemotherapy-free treatment. Established therapies, such as proteasome inhibition and immunomodulatory agents, are beginning to be recognised as useful in the management of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) alongside the many emerging classes of drugs (Bruton’s tyrosine kinase [BTK] inhibitors, phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate 3-kinase [PI3k] inhibitors and B cell lymphoma 2 [BCL2] inhibitors) that show promise in this disease. We review the newer agents and drug combinations available for the treatment of MCL.","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"104 ","pages":"134"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72429282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Adverse Event Management in Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-positive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer","authors":"C. Rolfo, I. Gil-Bazo, S. Peters","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.94","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.94","url":null,"abstract":"Touch MEdical MEdia Abstract The development of oncogene-directed targeted therapies represents a new paradigm in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), offering improved outcomes compared with chemotherapy. Rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene are major oncogenic drivers in a subset of NSCLC patients. Since its launch in 2011, the ALK inhibitor crizotinib has become the standard of care in ALK-positive NSCLC, but resistance inevitably develops. Ceritinib and alectinib have received regulatory approval: the former in Europe, US and elsewhere in the world, the latter in Japan. ALK inhibitors target multiple pathways, and may therefore be associated with a wide range of adverse events (AEs), including gastrointestinal AEs, hepatotoxicity and, in the case of crizotinib and ceritinib, cardiac effects. While the majority of these AEs are reversible, manageable and not severe, it is important that both physician and patients are aware of toxicities to ensure prompt treatment. This article discusses the management of AEs in patients receiving currently approved ALK inhibitors, including treatment, regular monitoring, drug discontinuation or dose reduction and physician/patient education. Proactive management of AEs enhances patient quality of life and optimises the therapeutic index of these agents.","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"44 1","pages":"94-99"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80666107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How Do We Move Forward with Vaccines in Lung Cancer","authors":"A. Ottevaere, N. Brucker, J. Vansteenkiste","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.92","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.92","url":null,"abstract":"Touch MEdical MEdia Abstract Vaccination for non-small cell lung cancer has been studied in several large phase III trials over the past decade. They confirmed excellent tolerability, but could not demonstrate outcome benefits, despite promising earlier phase II randomised studies. MAGE-A3 as Adjuvant Non-Small Cell LunG CanceR ImmunoTherapy (MAGRIT), the largest therapeutic trial ever carried out in lung cancer, with appropriate setting, power and design, answered a long-existing question: therapeutic vaccination with current technologies does not work in lung cancer. The best strategy forward may be combination of neo-epitopes vaccines and checkpoint inhibitors.","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"36 1","pages":"92"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78610995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Contribution of the Prosigna® (PAM50) Gene Signature Assay as a New-generation Genomic Test for Treatment Decision-making in Early Breast Cancer","authors":"N. Harbeck, R. Wuerstlein, K. Sotlar","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.85","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.85","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"16 1","pages":"85"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86138001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Front-line Management of Multiple Myeloma – How Can We Best Assess the Depth of Response?","authors":"M. Delforge","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2015.11.02.105","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"744 1","pages":"105"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76840559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Precision Medicine in Europe – Forging a Common Vision","authors":"J. Martin-Moreno","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2015.11.01.32","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2015.11.01.32","url":null,"abstract":"Touch MEdical MEdia Abstract The prospect of achieving truly personalised medicine (or precision medicine) has raised patients’ hopes and piqued researchers’ curiosity, prompting the development of new -omics fields and attracting interest from the health technology industry. However, to ensure that new advances are incorporated equitably without diverting scarce resources from essential services and underserved populations, European institutions must forge a common policy that balances investments with returns and competition with coordination.","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"32 1","pages":"32"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82751406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Barley, C. Antoine, G. Webster, M. Tiffany, N. Nundlall, R. Simmons, A. Hartley
{"title":"Atlas-based Auto-contouring - Balancing Accuracy with Efficiency in OnQ rts ®","authors":"S. Barley, C. Antoine, G. Webster, M. Tiffany, N. Nundlall, R. Simmons, A. Hartley","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2014.10.2.98","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2014.10.2.98","url":null,"abstract":"Atlas-based auto segmentation with OnQ rts ® has been shown to deliver time-savings for the delineation of organs at risk in head and neck patients being treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy. However, as the initial time to set up atlases can be high in busy departments the optimal number of atlas cases needed for auto-contouring was investigated. Using conformity index and mean distance to conformity to compare automatically generated with gold standard clinical contours, it was found that the majority of contours were unaffected by reducing the number of atlas cases from 30 to 10. The optimum number of atlas cases, however, was considered to be 20 due to the reduction in accuracy of the mandible, larynx and brain, below this level.","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"14 1","pages":"98"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74542265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
P. Economopoulou, Giannis Kotsantis, G. Kavourakis, A. Psyrri
{"title":"Head and Neck Cancer Highlights of ESMO Congress 2014","authors":"P. Economopoulou, Giannis Kotsantis, G. Kavourakis, A. Psyrri","doi":"10.17925/EOH.2014.10.2.96","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2014.10.2.96","url":null,"abstract":"Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a challenging cancer to treat and cure. A great proportion of patients present with advanced disease and appropriate treatment options include surgical resection with adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT), radical concurrent CRT or RT with monoclonal antibody cetuximab. Despite improved outcomes with CRT, overall prognosis is still unsatisfactory and treatment-related toxicity is a matter of major importance. To obtain improved outcomes and mitigate disease recurrence, current research is focused on novel molecular targeted agents, immunotherapy and discovery of predictive markers. Herein, we summarise recent advances in treatment of head and neck cancer, as presented in European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2014.","PeriodicalId":38554,"journal":{"name":"European Oncology and Haematology","volume":"2 1","pages":"96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87133319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}