Mechanisms of adverse effects of anti-VEGF therapy for cancer

Advances in understanding the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in normal physiology are giving insight into the basis of adverse effects attributed to the use of VEGF inhibitors in clinical oncology. These effects are typically downstream consequences of suppression of cellular signalling pathways important in the regulation and maintenance of the microvasculature. Downregulation of these pathways in normal organs can lead to vascular disturbances and even regression of blood vessels, which could be intensified by concurrent pathological conditions. These changes are generally manageable and pose less risk than the tumours being treated, but they highlight the properties shared by tumour vessels and the vasculature of normal organs

European experts consensus: BRCA/homologous recombination deficiency testing in first-line ovarian cancer

Background: Homologous recombination repair (HRR) enables fault-free repair of double-stranded DNA breaks. HRR deficiency is predicted to occur in around half of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas. Ovarian cancers harbouring HRR deficiency typically exhibit sensitivity to poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). Current guidelines recommend a range of approaches for genetic testing to identify predictors of sensitivity to PARPi in ovarian cancer and to identify genetic predisposition. Design: To establish a European-wide consensus for genetic testing (including the genetic care pathway), decision making and clinical management of patients with recently diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer, and the validity of biomarkers to predict the effectiveness of PARPi in the first-line setting. The collaborative European experts’ consensus group consisted of a steering committee (n = 14) and contributors (n = 84). A (modified) Delphi process was used to establish consensus statements based on a systematic literature search, conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Results: A consensus was reached on 34 statements amongst 98 caregivers (including oncologists, pathologists, clinical geneticists, genetic researchers, and patient advocates). The statements concentrated on (i) the value of testing for BRCA1/2 mutations and HRR deficiency testing, including when and whom to test; (ii) the importance of developing new and better HRR deficiency tests; (iii) the importance of germline non-BRCA HRR and mismatch repair gene mutations for predicting familial risk, but not for predicting sensitivity to PARPi, in the first-line setting; (iv) who should be able to inform patients about genetic testing, and what training and education should these caregivers receive. Conclusion: These consensus recommendations, from a multidisciplinary panel of experts from across Europe, provide clear guidance on the use of BRCA and HRR deficiency testing for recently diagnosed patients with advanced ovarian cancer

A critical analysis of publication rates of national oncology meeting abstracts in Turkey

Purpose: In this study our aim is to analyze the publication rates of abstracts, which were presented between 2006 and 2011 years in biennial National Cancer Meeting of Turkey (NCM) and Turkish Medical Oncology Society Meeting (TMOSM) and to determine the timely change of publication rates and to predict the quality of the abstracts. Methods: All abstracts, which are either accepted as podium or poster presentations in NCM and TMOM between 2006 and 2011, are extracted. Subsequent publication rate of those abstracts were defined by searching PubMed and Turkish Medical Index. Results: Between 2006 and 2011, overall 2451 abstracts were presented in annual NC and TMOS meetings. Of these 2451 abstracts, 286 of them (11.7%) were published in consecutive years. Median publication interval was 11 months. While 28 of 286 (9.8%) abstracts were published in national journals, 258 of them (90.2%) were published in international journals. 97 of a total of 424 podium presentations (22.9%) were published. The publication rate was correlated with the type of presentation (OP vs. PP: 22.9% vs. 9.3%, p < 0.001). The highest publication rate was for prospective studies (%14.4). Majority of abstracts (53.1%) were published in journals indexed within the science citation index (SCI). Rest of the published abstracts were in index of SCI-expanded. Conclusions: Non-publication of research abstracts is a problem for 88.3% of abstracts of this study. The data presented in this study should lead abstract authors to criticize themselves and find a way to improve their study quality. Keywords: Abstract, Full-text, Manuscript, Peer-review, Publication rat

GLASS: Global Lorlatinib for ALK(+) and ROS1(+) Retrospective Study: Real World Data of 123 NSCLC Patients [Meeting Abstract]

[No Abstract Available

Characteristics of Turkish colorectal cancer patients and bevacizumab preference.

53rd Annual Clinical Science Meeting of the American-Society-of-Clinical-Oncology (ASCO) / Symposium on Old Targets, New Drugs - Her2 and MET -- JUN 02-07, 2017 -- Chicago, ILWOS: 000411895707157…Amer Soc Clin Onco