The Central Dogma of Biology Doesn’t the title above sound imposing? Yet this central idea has moved biological science forward over the last 60 plus years. What we know about cells, genetics and cancer today relies on this “Dogma”: DNA carries our hereditary information and transfers that information in a process called transcription. In...
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We are made of elegant, interacting, dynamic structures called cells. The best estimate is that there are around 32 trillion cells in the human body. Today 5th graders begin to learn about cells and cell biology. But for the rest of us, who may be a bit rusty, or who aren’t as caught up with all the advances that have occurred in understanding...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This phase 1 trial aims to determine the dosage of the anti-cancer drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda, or MK-3475) and whether it is effective at treating small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) when combined with both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The main outcome of the trial will be the maximum tolerated dose (MTD – the highest dose of a...
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In a nutshell This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) treatment in patients with second primary lung cancer and whether CT surveillance would be beneficial to these patients. The review concluded that SABR is an effective treatment in patients with early stage NSCLC who are unable to undergo surgery....
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“Nixon asked, ‘Doctor, what do you consider the most pressing problem that medicine has today?’…My answer was simple: ‘Cancer.’ He said, ‘I’m amazed. Why do you say that?’ My reply was, ‘I think every physician who is dedicated and sincere never goes on the floor of a hospital where he has...
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In a number of posts here on Medivizor we have described research on weight and cancer. For example, we reviewed research on weight loss and patient survivorship and physical activity and patient survivorship. Here is an infographic by the American Institute for Cancer Research which provides some further information on the link between obesity and...
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In a nutshell The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) reviewed guidelines for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), developed by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP). Some background Guidelines for the treatment of SCLC were established by ACCP in 2013. Based on scientific evidence, a panel of experts put...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This analysis aimed to assess whether targeted therapy drugs gefatinib and erlotinib are safer and more effective to treat non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in elderly patients, compared to chemotherapy and radiation therapies. The authors concluded that these two targeted therapy drugs are effective and safe to treat lung cancer in...
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In a nutshell This study tested the efficiency of allocating cancer treatments to elderly non-small cell lung cancer patients based on comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). The authors concluded that allocating cancer treatment based on CGA had no difference than current standard allocation methods. Some background In elderly patients with...
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In a nutshell This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the anti-cancer drug erlotinib (Tarceva) in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with positive EGFR mutations in caucasian patients. The study concluded that erlotinib was safe and effective as first-line treatment in this type of cancer. Some background A mutation...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This phase 3 trial aims to compare the effectiveness of stereotactic body radiotherapy with conventional radiotherapy in patients with early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that cannot undergo surgery for medical reasons. The main outcome of the trial will be absence of local recurrence (whether the cancer has come back at or...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of anti-cancer drug trametinib (Mekinist) in comparison to docetaxel (Taxotere) in treating patients with KRAS-mutation-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study concluded that there was no difference in efficacy between trametinib and docetaxel however trametinib...
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