NEWS from ASCO

1.The kitchen sink thrown to the patient when it comes to combination chemotherapy, sometimes, works!
It was the case for FOLFOXIRI in Colon cancers, and sometime Pancreatic cancers.   In Myeloma, DR Palumbo from the Italian Gimena reportedly suggested the Bortezomib, Melphalan,Prednisone and Thalidomide, (BMPT) followed by 2 years of maintenance BT was better than BMP alone.
Median progression free survival 35.3 months Vs 24.8 months.
5 Year Survival  (OS) 61%  Vs 51%.

2.patients with history of 30 pack year and still smoking, or have quit within 15 years, 55-74 years of age. can now be offered low dose Cat scan (CT) instead of a Chest X-ray.  This new National Cancer Society standard is based review of the literature since 1996, and the new National Lung Screening study (NLST) suggesting a 20% reduction in Mortality between the 2 groups.

3.  MCL1, MYC,JAK2, PIM1,BRCA would be the gene mostly involved in Triple negative Breast cancer. Some common pathways also listed  (Researcher from Vanderbilt suggested)

4.Ibrutinib ?becoming an important option in Mantle cell. with a 70% response rate as compared with   30% achieved by other drugs in relapsed/refractory cases.  Target therapy is in!

5. Telintra, Ezatiostat was granted Orphan drug status by the FDA for treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndrome.