Pancreas Cancer News and Archives
		For educational purposes only; not to be relied upon. Please read Pancreatica Disclaimer
	December 12, 2000	Laparoscopy Use in Diagnosis
	December 11, 2000	Cell Genesys / GVAX Scheduled for Phase II Trials
	November 28, 2000	RAS Peptide Vaccine Against Pancreatic Cancer
	November 27, 2000	Antigenics Expands Clinical Trial with Oncophage
	November 27, 2000	Irofulven (MGI-114) Advances to Phase III Trials
	November 16, 2000	Intranasal Fentanyl Citrate in Breakthrough Pain Management
	November 15, 2000	PanCAN Sponsors PC Awareness Month (November, 2000)
	November 13, 2000	Simpler Steps to Clinical Trials
	November 13, 2000	Increased Tumor Marker Sensitivity
	November 10, 2000	Cautious Findings with Endostatin
	November 9, 2000	Drug Response linked to Inactive Gene
	November 8, 2000	Gemcitabine, 5-FU and Cisplatin Combination Study
	November 7, 2000	Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Against Pancreatic Cancer
	October 24, 2000	High Toxicity Found with Gemcitabine, 5-FU and Radiation
	October 19, 2000	Sm-Like Oncogene in Pancreatic Cancer Study
	October 19, 2000	Avicine to Enter Phase III Trials
	Laparoscopy Use in Diagnosis December 12, 2000 Israeli researches reported findings that indicate that laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasonographic (LAPUS) may be effective methods for the staging of pancreatic cancer. In evaluating the treatment options of 67 patients, LAPUS appeared superior to conventional imaging examinations and laparotomy. LAPUS resulted in a change of decision regarding treatment in 36% of the patients Cell Genesys / GVAX Scheduled for Phase II Trials December 11, 2000 Dr. Ravi Salgia of Dana-Farber/ Partners Cancer Care at the Ninth World Conference on Lung Cancer in Tokyo, Japan, presented a report showing that Cell Genesys / GVAX vaccine was safe and well tolerated in patients. Additional trials in other cancers, including pancreatic cancer, are to commence in early 2001. RAS Peptide Vaccine Against Pancreatic Cancer November 28, 2000 At the recent American and International Association of Pancreatology meeting in Chicago, results of a phase II study of RAS peptide vaccine in patients with pancreatic cancer were reported. The efficacy of the vaccine was measured by a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction in patients after the vaccination. Patients with evidence of DTH were found to survive longer than those without evidence of DTH. However, the stage of the pancreatic cancer (as well as concurrent treatments, if any) were not identified in the article. These results are encouraging but as this is a phase II trial, need to be viewed with caution. Antigenics Expands Clinical Trial with Oncophage November 27, 2000 Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center continues to enroll patients with pancreatic cancer into a phase I/II study of the Oncophage vaccine. The drug which was developed by Antigenics began clinical trials in 1997. Irofulven (MGI-114) Advances to Phase III Trials November 27, 2000 Irofulven, an agent from the family of anti-cancer compounds called acylfulvenes, will be tested in advanced pancreatic cancer patients whose disease has progressed after treatment with gemcitabine. This phase III trial is expected to begin enrolling patients near the end of 2000, following approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Daniel Von Hoff of the Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center will be the lead investigator for this trial. Intranasal Fentanyl Citrate in Breakthrough Pain Management November 16, 2000 Dr. Giovambattista Zeppetella, St. Joseph's Hospice and Royal Hospitals NHS Trust, London, reported that cancer patients experiencing breakthrough pain may benefit from intranasal fentanyl citrate (INFC). In a study of 12 hospice patients, six patients found that INFC gave improved pain relief over oral morphine. Side effects included nasal discomfort and nasal itching. PanCAN Sponsors PC Awareness Month (November, 2000) November 15, 2000 The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), the first public-benefit patient-advocacy organization for pancreatic cancer, has sponsored a successful effort to have the governors of all 50 U.S. states sign a proclamation recognizing November, 2000 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. On November 18th in Universal City, California, PanCAN will host its third annual An Evening with the Stars event, which this year will highlight the life of Henry Mancini, a pancreatic cancer victim. For ticket information, please call 877-2-PANCAN. Simpler Steps to Clinical Trials November 13, 2000 The U.S. National Cancer Institute has launched initiatives to simplify the process of patients' enrollment in clinical trials. The measures include the creation of the Expanded Participation Project (EPP), (http://light.emmes.com/epp), which helps provide broader access to phase III trials in selected cancers, and the Clinical Trials Support Unit, which allows for more information release through the world wide web (http://www.ctsu.org). Increased Tumor Marker Sensitivity November 13, 2000 The combination of the serum enzyme test M2-PK with CA 19-9 appears to confer increased tumor marker sensitivity in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, according to ScheBo Biotech AG of Dusseldorf, Germany. Professor Eigenbrodt of Geissen University will chair a seminar to discuss these findings at the Association for Biochemical and Molecular Biochemistry by Medica 2000 on November, 25, 2000. Cautious Findings with Endostatin November 10, 2000 Dr. Judah Folkman and team reported the results of a phase I study involving the anti-angiogenesis drug-agent endostatin at this week's NCI-EORTC-AACR meeting in Amsterdam. They found that endostatin was well tolerated. It was further noted that stable cancer disease was seen in several patients, and that one patient with metastatic neuroendocrine cancer of the pancreas demonstrated some (< 50%) "radiographic regression" of tumor. Drug Response linked to Inactive Gene November 9, 2000 Scientists from Johns Hopkins Oncology Center in Baltimore, Maryland, in a study which will be published in the New England Journal of Medicine, have reported that patients with brain tumors who have a specific inactivated DNA repair gene are more sensitive to treatment from drugs like BCNU (Carmustine). Gemcitabine, 5-FU and Cisplatin Combination Study November 8, 2000 Results of a study with gemcitabine, 5-FU and cisplatin, as reported by Dr. P.A. Philip, of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, indicated that the combination may have effect in treating patients with pancreatic cancer. These findings were presented at the American and International Association of Pancreatology. Of fifteen patients participating in the trial, eight patients demonstrated a 50% or greater reduction in serum CA 19-9 levels. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Against Pancreatic Cancer November 7, 2000 Professor Steven Brown of the University College London and Director of the UK's National Medical Laser Center reported the application of photodynamic therapy (PDT) against pancreatic cancer. This therapy involves a two-step process whereby a laser beam activates a previously given light-sensitive drug. High Toxicity Found with Gemcitabine, 5-FU and Radiation October 24, 2000 The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, reported the results of a phase I trial of gemcitabine combined with fluorouracil (5-FU) and concurrent radiation for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The combination showed high dose-limiting toxicity. Sm-Like Oncogene in Pancreatic Cancer Study October 19, 2000 The Sm-like oncogene appears to be overexpressed in pancreatic cancer tumors. Data from pre-clinical research at the Medical University of South Carolina suggest that application of cancer-associated Sm-like (CaSm) antisense gene therapy may arrest pancreatic cancer cell growth. Avicine to Enter Phase III Trials October 19, 2000 Avicine, an anti-cancer vaccine by AVI BioPharma Inc., is in clinical development for colorectal, pancreatic and prostate cancer. Avicine is being tested in phase II trials in pancreatic cancer, and it is expected to enter phase III trials in colorectal cancer.
	These abstracts have been summarized by Pancreatica staff from contemporaneous press releases obtained from newswire services unless otherwise noted in the abstract. They are for educational purposes only and not to be relied upon. Please read Pancreatica Disclaimer
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