SHORT NEWS FROM ASCO POST

*For years we have been telling women that 5 years of Tamoxifen is all they needed in the treatment of ER positive breast cancer.  We went on to tell them that prolonging the duration of Tamoxifen could only lead to more side effect.  So it is a bit of a surprise that all of the sudden the Oncology community has quickly embraced the new 10 years being recommended without any questions raised.  Had we been lying to women all this time?  who has been giving Tamoxifen for 10 years behind our back?

Published results suggest : "617 recurrences in women taking Tamoxifen for 10 years Vs 711 recurrences in women treated for 5 years".  Total observation time 10-14 years.   SO standard today is 10 years of Tamoxifen, no question asked!

*Ponatinib is the new Darling drug in CML and Philadelphia positive ALL
In a study published by DR Cortes 267 evaluated patients
56 % of those in Chronic phase CML achieved Major Cytogenetic response (Most of these were resistant to TKI.
and 57% of those in accelerated phase achieved a major hematologic response and 34% of those in Blast phase responded.
Remember the FDA has already approved the drug!

OMACETAXINE is also active in this disease!

*POMALIDOMIDE is the other wonder but this time in Myeloma
4mg given with 20 mg of Decadron as given in the study!
Also an Oral Proteasome inhibitor MLN9708 is under study with promising results

*For Invasive breast cancer, adjuvant radiation for 3 weeks equivalent to 5 weeks per a UK study!  People are still waiting for the RTOG to conclude its trial.

*Ibrutinib is the new darling drug in CLL
at 26 months, 96% progression survival in chemo-naive CLL
and 75% progression free survival  in relapse/refractory CLL/SLL

*QUIZARTINIB  BUY TIME TO TRANSPLANT