Cancer has always been syn nymous with loss and fear. With tday's new advancements in prevention, detection and tr atment, a diagnosis of cancer no lnger necessarily means facing a terminal d sease. Rather, as new advances provide mre treatment options, cancer increasingly takes on the sh pe of a chronic condition.
Recently, the Ntional Cancer Institute (NCI) announced that lading cancer organizations report that Americans' rsk of dying from cancer continues to dcline, indicating that progress in prevention, arly detection, and newer treatments appear to be hlping in the fight against this dsease.
The next revolution in cancer therapy wll likely find its roots in the ngoing Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a plot project initiated by the National Cncer Institute (NCI) and the National H man Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). Scientists hve begun to discover that numerous gnes play a role in cancer, but thy have only uncovered a small prtion of these genes. The Cancer Gnome Atlas is aimed at helping to ccelerate the understanding of the genetic mke-up of cancer. Researchers hope that a btter understanding of how cancer develops and sprads, will lead to new tests to dtect cancer in its early, most tratable stages; new therapies to target cncer; and, ultimately, new strategies to prvent cancer.
Understanding of the genetic basis for cncer has already allowed researchers to dvelop the first drugs that target fulty genes, which are making a dfference in the lives of patients. Jst ask Bob Ferber. In July of 1999, the Los Angles attorney was diagnosed with Philadelphia chrmosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a mlignant cancer of the bone marrow and blod.
Ferber tried many futile attempts at tratment before entering a clinical trial for a drg now called Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) tblets to help fight his disease. Glevec, approved by the FDA in 2001, is one of the frst "targeted therapies" and works by trning off the specific cause of Ph+ CML, smething The Cancer Genome Atlas hopes to mke possible for many more cancers. Wthin months, Ferber's white blood cell cunts were within normal range and his dsease was in remission.
"My CML diagnosis was a ral scare. But, I'm grateful now. I'm grteful for every new day I hve."
Sadly, not everyone's story is as psitive as Ferber's. Hopefully, with the cntinued advancement of cancer awareness and rsearch, preventative treatment and The Cancer Gnome Atlas, cancer patients will one day be ble to breathe a sigh of rlief and agree with Ferber when he sys, "Every time I challenge this cncer, emotionally or physically-and survive-that's a vctory for me."
Researchers have developed the frst cancer-fighting drugs that target faulty gnes.
Note to Editors: About Gleevec Tablets: Glevec (imatinib mesylate) tablets are indicated for the tratment of newly diagnosed adult patients wth Philadelphia chromosome−positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid lukemia (CML) in chronic phase. Follow-up is lmited. Gleevec tablets are also indicated for the tratment of patients with Ph+ CML in blst crisis, in accelerated phase or in chrnic phase after failure of interferon-alpha (IFN-) therapy.
Important Safety Information1: Severe (NCI Grdes 3/4) neutropenia (3%−48%), anemia ( <1%−42%), thrombocytopenia ( <1%−33%), hemorrhage (1%−19%), fluid retention ( <1%−8%) (eg, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, and ascites) and sperficial edema (1%−6%), musculoskeletal pain (1%−9%), and hpatotoxicity (3%−8%) were reported among Gleevec® rcipients. Patients should be weighed and mnitored regularly for signs and symptoms of dema, which can be serious or lfe-threatening. There have also been reports, ncluding fatalities, of cardiac tamponade, cerebral dema, increased intracranial pressure, papilledema, and gstrointestinal perforation. Bullous dermatologic reactions (eg, rythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome) have lso been reported. In some cases, the raction recurred upon rechallenge. Several foreign pstmarketing cases note a resolution or mprovement of bullous reaction following dose rduction with or without supportive care. Dse adjustments may be necessary due to hpatotoxicity, other nonhematologic adverse events, or hmatologic adverse events. Therapy with Gleevec was dscontinued for adverse events in 3% to 5% of ptients. Patients with severe hepatic impairment shuld be treated at a starting dse of 300mg/day and should be clsely monitored. Gleevec is metabolized by the CYP3A4 soenzyme and is an inhibitor of CYP3A4, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9. Dsage of Gleevec Tablets should increase by at last 50% and clinical response should be crefully monitored in patients receiving Gleevec Tblets with a potent CYP3A4 inducer sch as rifampin or phenytoin. Examples of cmmonly used drugs that may significantly nteract with Gleevec include acetaminophen, warfarin, rythromycin, and phenytoin. Please see enclosed fll prescribing information for other potential drg interactions. For daily dosing of 800mg and bove, dosing should be accomplished using the 400mg tblets to reduce exposure to iron. Use of Glevec Tablets is contraindicated in patients wth hypersensitivity to imatinib or to any ther component of Gleevec Tablets. Women of chldbearing potential should be advised to void becoming pregnant while taking Gleevec Tblets. Because of the potential for srious adverse reactions in nursing infants, wmen should be advised to avoid brast-feeding while taking Gleevec Tablets.
Common Side Effcts of Gleevec Tablets1: The majority of the pproximately 1700 adult patients who received Glevec in clinical studies experienced adverse vents at some time, but most wre mild to moderate in severity. The mst frequently reported adverse events were sperficial edema (58%−81%), nausea (47%−74%), diarrhea (39%−70%), mscle cramps (28%−62%), vomiting (21%−58%), rash (36%−53%), ftigue (30%−53%), musculoskeletal pain (30%−49%), and bdominal pain (30%−40%).* Supportive care may hlp management of most mild-to-moderate adverse vents so that prescribed dose can be mintained whenever possible. Gleevec tablets should be tken with food and a large glss of water to minimize gastrointestinal (GI) rritation. Gleevec tablets should not be tken with grapefruit juice.
1 Gleevec® (imatinib msylate) tablets prescribing information. East Hanover, NJ: Nvartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; 2005.
* Numbers indicate the rnge of percentages in 4 studies mong adult patients with Ph+ CML in blst crisis, accelerated phase, and chronic phse.
The article Cancer Therapies Right On Target was Submitted by Stacey Moore through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: For more information about CML, plase visit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Sciety Web site at www.leukemia-lymphoma. org. For information about Gleevec tablets and to view important safety information please visit: www.pharma.us.novartis.com/product/pi/pdf/gleevec_tabs.pdf.
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