Content about cancer

March 17, 2011

To help promote the third annual St. Louis Undy 5000 5K run on March 26, the Colon Cancer Alliance is introducing the “Parade of Undies” fashion show, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of Dulcolax products.

ST. LOUIS — To help promote the third annual St. Louis Undy 5000 5K run on March 26, the Colon Cancer Alliance is introducing the “Parade of Undies” fashion show, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of Dulcolax products.

Rather than wear race-day t-shirts, participants will wear specially designed boxer-style shorts, providing a fun way to bring attention to a serious disease. American fashion designer and colon cancer survivor Carmen Marc Valvo will serve as one of the judges.

March 11, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration has approved biotech company Dendreon’s expansion of manufacturing capacity for an immunotherapy treatment for prostate cancer, Dendreon said Thursday.

SEATTLE — The Food and Drug Administration has approved biotech company Dendreon’s expansion of manufacturing capacity for an immunotherapy treatment for prostate cancer, Dendreon said Thursday.

The company said it would be able to increase the ability of Provenge (sipuleucel-T) manufactured at its plant in New Jersey by increasing the number of workstations to produce it from 12 to 48.

The treatment is designed to induce an immune response against prostatic acid phosphatase, an antigen present in most prostate cancers.

March 4, 2011

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. In support of that, Boehringer Ingelheim’s Dulcolax brand this year has partnered with the Colon Cancer Alliance. Following is CCA’s CEO Andrew Spiegel on that partnership:

DSN: How has Dulcolax partnered with CCA?

March 2, 2011

Dulcolax has teamed up with the Colon Cancer Alliance and American fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo to encourage men and women to be proactive about their colon health by getting a colonoscopy.

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. — Dulcolax has teamed up with the Colon Cancer Alliance and American fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo to encourage men and women to be proactive about their colon health by getting a colonoscopy.

February 22, 2011

The Skin Cancer Foundation's Road to Healthy Skin Tour, presented by Aveeno and Rite Aid, hits the road once again in March, providing free full-body skin cancer screenings and informing the public on the latest skin cancer information.

NEW YORK — The Skin Cancer Foundation's Road to Healthy Skin Tour, presented by Aveeno and Rite Aid, hits the road once again in March, providing free full-body skin cancer screenings and informing the public on the latest skin cancer information.

February 10, 2011

Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal has announced that it is partnering with the cancer support network Happy Chemo! and now will be recognized as a local cancer resource for natural body products.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal has announced that it is partnering with the cancer support network Happy Chemo! and now will be recognized as a local cancer resource for natural body products.

Happy Chemo! connects cancer patients with special offers and information in an effort to help before, during and after cancer treatments. The partnership with Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal will provide a network of support and samples exclusively to these patients and their families.

February 9, 2011

Women with ovarian cancer who received a drug made by Genentech lived longer without their disease becoming worse, according to a late-stage clinical trial.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Women with ovarian cancer who received a drug made by Genentech lived longer without their disease becoming worse, according to a late-stage clinical trial.

Genentech, part of Swiss drug maker Roche, announced results from its phase-3 “OCEANS” study, in which women with recurring ovarian cancer received Avastin (bevacizumab) with gemcitabine and carboplatin, both chemotherapy drugs, followed by use of Avastin alone.

February 3, 2011

Merck’s vaccine for human papillomavirus is 89% effective in preventing genital warts in teenage boys and young men, according to a new study.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Merck’s vaccine for human papillomavirus is 89% effective in preventing genital warts in teenage boys and young men, according to a new study.

The phase-3 study of Gardasil (human papillomavirus quadrivalent [types 6, 11, 16 and 18] vaccine, recombinant) in boys and men ages 16 to 26 years was published in the Feb. 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Human papillomavirus is the cause of genital and anal warts, and infection can increase the risk of developing cancer later in life.

January 26, 2011

Smoking before menopause, especially prior to giving birth, may be associated with a modest increase in the risk of developing breast cancer, according to a report in the Jan. 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

CHICAGO — Smoking before menopause, especially prior to giving birth, may be associated with a modest increase in the risk of developing breast cancer, according to a report in the Jan. 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

January 19, 2011

Patients taking an investigational drug made by Genentech for advanced skin cancer fared better than those receiving standard treatments, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial announced Wednesday.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Patients taking an investigational drug made by Genentech for advanced skin cancer fared better than those receiving standard treatments, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial announced Wednesday.

The company, part of Swiss drug maker Roche, said patients with advanced melanoma containing a mutated version of a protein called BRAF lived longer when receiving the orally administered personalized investigational medicine RG7204 than those receiving the injected chemotherapy drug dacarbazine.

December 23, 2010

Merck on Wednesday announced that the Food and Drug Administration has approved Gardasil [human papillomavirus quadrivalent (types 6, 11, 16 and 18) vaccine, recombinant] for the prevention of anal cancer in males and females 9 to 26 years of age.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Merck on Wednesday announced that the Food and Drug Administration has approved Gardasil [human papillomavirus quadrivalent (types 6, 11, 16 and 18) vaccine, recombinant] for the prevention of anal cancer in males and females 9 to 26 years of age.

According to the company, Gardasil is the first HPV vaccine on the market available for use in both men and women, and the only one indicated  to help prevent cervical, vaginal, vulvar and anal cancers and pre-cancers, as well as genital warts, caused by certain types of HPV.

December 21, 2010

Abbott has made a pact with a biopharmaceutical company to develop new cancer treatments by making small-molecule inhibitors.

ABBOTT PARK, Ill. — Abbott has made a pact with a biopharmaceutical company to develop new cancer treatments by making small-molecule inhibitors.

Under the terms of the agreement, Abbott will provide EpiTherapeutics with an up-front payment and will receive funding of research activities conducted at EpiTherapeutics. The biopharmaceutical company also is eligible, under certain conditions, to receive milestone payments as well as potential royalties on future revenues.

December 16, 2010

Just a few months after a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended limiting the use of a Genentech drug designed to treat breast cancer, the regulatory agency is looking to revoke the approval altogether.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Just a few months after a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended limiting the use of a Genentech drug designed to treat breast cancer, the regulatory agency is looking to revoke the approval altogether.

December 14, 2010

Eli Lilly is suspending a late-stage clinical trial of a cancer drug amid safety concerns, the drug maker said Monday.

INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Lilly is suspending a late-stage clinical trial of a cancer drug amid safety concerns, the drug maker said Monday.

The company had been conducting a phase-3 trial of the pharmaceutical drug tasisulam as a second-line treatment for patients with melanoma whose cancer could not be removed or had spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is diagnosed in 68,000 people in the Untied States every year, according to the American Cancer Society.

December 13, 2010

A drug made by Amgen was able to delay certain bone problems in patients with advanced breast cancer better than a competing drug, according to study results presented at the 33rd annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — A drug made by Amgen was able to delay certain bone problems in patients with advanced breast cancer better than a competing drug, according to study results presented at the 33rd annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Amgen said Xgeva (denosumab) was able to delay weakness and fracturing resulting from the cancer spreading to the bones five months longer than Novartis’ Zometa (zoledronic acid).

The Food and Drug Administration approved Xgeva on Nov. 18.

December 9, 2010

Despite recommendations, half of women ages 40 years and older do not get annual mammograms, according to a new study by pharmacy benefit manager Medco.

SAN ANTONIO — Despite recommendations, half of women ages 40 years and older do not get annual mammograms, according to a new study by pharmacy benefit manager Medco.

The analysis, from the Medco Research Institute, also found that nearly 40% of women ages 50 years and older don’t get biennial screenings. Data from the study will be presented at the 33rd annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

December 6, 2010

A biotech drug made by Roche subsidiary Genentech allowed patients with a blood cancer, who did not show symptoms, to delay starting on chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and decreased the risk of their disease worsening, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A biotech drug made by Roche subsidiary Genentech allowed patients with a blood cancer, who did not show symptoms, to delay starting on chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and decreased the risk of their disease worsening, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial.

November 24, 2010

This is part of the future of health care that Walgreens envisioned when it first began to make a major commitment to specialty pharmacy — it knew it could save payers and patients a whole lot of money.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — This is part of the future of health care that Walgreens envisioned when it first began to make a major commitment to specialty pharmacy — it knew it could save payers and patients a whole lot of money.

(THE NEWS: Walgreens promotes big savings via monitored oncology Rx therapy. For the full story, click here)

November 21, 2010

An intensive cancer patient management program by Walgreens’ specialty pharmacy professionals could save health plan...

DEERFIELD, Ill. An intensive cancer patient management program by Walgreens’ specialty pharmacy professionals could save health plan payers $2,000 to $4,000 per patient each month, the company announced.

November 18, 2010

Pfizer got promising results from a late-stage clinical trial of a cancer treatment, the drug...

NEW YORK — Pfizer got promising results from a late-stage clinical trial of a cancer treatment, the drug maker said Friday.

 

Pfizer announced results of the phase-3 “AXIS 1032” trial of the kidney cancer drug axitinib, saying that it “significantly” extended the lives of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma compared with Nexavar (sorafenib), made by Bayer HealthCare and Onyx Pharmaceuticals.

 

 

November 16, 2010

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee has recommended expanded approval of a vaccine for...

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee has recommended expanded approval of a vaccine for genital warts.

Merck announced Wednesday that the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee recommended approval of Gardasil (human papillomavirus quadrivalent [types 6, 11, 16 and 18] vaccine, recombinant) for males and females ages 9 to 26 years to prevent anal cancer and anal intraepithelial neoplasia, both diseases that result from infection by the human papillomavirus.

November 14, 2010

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for breast cancer, the agency...

SILVER SPRING, Md. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for breast cancer, the agency said Monday.

The FDA approved Eisai’s Halaven (eribulin mesylate) for patients with breast cancer that has spread and who have received at least two chemotherapy regimens for the disease in its late stages. More than 200,000 women will be diagnosed this year with breast cancer, and nearly 40,000 will die from it, making it the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women, according to the National Cancer Institute.

October 29, 2010

MINNEAPOLIS — Target announced that it is launching a month-long anti-smoking campaign in connection with the American Cancer Society's 2010 Great American Smokeout to support guests and team members in their efforts to quit smoking.

October 20, 2010

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a biotech drug for treating cancer of the...

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a biotech drug for treating cancer of the stomach and esophageal junction.

 

Genentech, a subsidiary of Swiss drug maker Roche, announced Wednesday the approval of Herceptin (trastuzumab) as a treatment for cancer of the stomach that includes the HER2 gene and has spread to other parts of the body, when combined with chemotherapy. The drug has long since had approval as a treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer.

 

 

October 17, 2010

The Skin Cancer Foundation held its annual Skin Sense Award Gala on Oct. 12, honoring...